Amrita was born in a Rao family in Chitrapur.She has a twin sister Preeta,and  they are a conservative Hindu, Konkani-speaking, Saraswat Brahmin family. Amrita has led a very protective life.

No stranger to cameras and bright lights, she has modeled for approximately 35 advertisements. It was film-maker Raj Kanwar who approached her about playing the lead role in 'Ab Ke Baras', which was released in 2002 after watching her in the perk commercial. She is also associated with jewelery manufacturers D'Damas as their brand ambassador.

But it was the 2003 movie 'Ishq Vishk' that made her famous virtually overnight. Her other releases 'Masti', 'Main Hoon Na' & 'Vivah' added to her popularity. While 'Pyare Mohan', 'Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi', 'Shikhar' 'Deewar' failed to make a impact on the box office. Thus far she has won 6 awards, mostly related to her performances in 'Ishq Vishk' and 'Vivah'.

Now barely 12 movies' old, she is already quite well-known and appreciated as a actress. She also has a Telegu movie to her credit. She is fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Konkani. She is passionate about reading short stories.