Sinha was born in Mumbai to Rana Pratap Singh (known as Pratap A. Rana in films), an Indian film producer, son-in-law of film director Mohan Sinha a.k.a. Sd. Maan Singh, resident of village Jodhawali, Punjab, Undivided India.

She began modelling and acting at the age of 18. She was Miss Bombay and modelled for several brands which led to her discovery by Basu Chatterjee. Her first movie, however, came after marriage - her debut was in Raja Kaka (1974) opposite Kiran Kumar. However, fame came to her through a low-budget, alternative cinema break-away hit Rajnigandha (1974), directed by her mentor Basu Chatterjee. The movie, although having none of the trappings of a typical Bollywood blockbuster, was a major box office success. This was followed by many more small-budget films like Choti Si Baat (1975), and later by more mainstream, bigger budget Bollywood productions like Pati Patni Aur Woh (1977). She is known for her pleasant roles in various movies she acted during her active career life. She did 30 movie roles over a period of 12 years.

By the mid-1980s, this type of role was no longer popular in the Hindi film industry. She wound down her film work and finally called it a day by 1986. After some years in Australia, Vidya returned to India and gradually came back to acting,

She returned to films in Salman Khan's Bodyguard in 2011.

TV career

Vidya Sinha acted in TV serials like Bahu Rani (2000), Hum Do Hain Na, Bhabhi and Kavyanjali (2004). In 2011 she appeared in the NDTV Imagine serial Haar Jeet. She enacted the role of Asad's and Ayaan's grandmother, Badi Bi in the Zee TV show, Qubool Hai. Recently, she was seen as the Neha's Daadi in Itti Si Khushi'

Vidya Sinha was born on 15 November 1947 in Mumbai. Her father, Pratap S. Rana (film name)(also known as Rana Pratap Singh), was an Indian film producer, son-in-law of film director Mohan Sinha & his previous name was Sd. Maan Singh, native resident of village Jodhawali, Punjab, undivided India.She fell in love with and married her neighbor, a Tamil Brahmin named Venkateshwaran Iyer in 1968 and adopted a daughter, Jhanvi, in 1989. The next few years were spent in taking care of Jhanvi and her ailing husband, who eventually died in 1996. They then moved to Sydney for a few years. She met the elderly Australian doctor Netaji Bhimrao Salunke online in 2001, and married him after a quick courtship and a small temple wedding. They adopted a daughter shortly after.

On 9 January 2009 Vidya filed a complaint with the police accusing Netaji Bhimrao Salunkhe of physical and mental torture.^[4] They were divorced soon afterwards, and after a protracted battle she won her case against him for maintenance.^[5]