Aarti Mann (born March 3, 1978) is an American actress. She has starred in several television programs, including a part in the sci-fi drama Heroes. She is best known for playing the role of Priya Koothrappali in The Big Bang Theory. Born as Aarti Majumdar in Connecticut, she moved to Pittsburgh as a young child. They settled in Fox Chapel where her mother, Vasanti Majumdar, an obstetrician/gynecologist out of UPMC Passavant, still lives. She graduated from Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel and Studied Film at New York University. Aarti began acting in mid 2000s, initially playing minor roles. She uses both Aarti Majmudar and Aarti Mann as her professional name.
Ms. Mann was born Aarti Majmudar in Connecticut (Mann is a truncated version of her married name) and moved to Pittsburgh as a toddler. Growing up, her family lived in Mt. Lebanon and Wexford before settling in Fox Chapel where her mother, Vasanti Majmudar, an obstetrician/gynecologist out of UPMC Passavant, still lives. (Ms. Mann's father passed away while she was in high school). Ms. Mann graduated from Shady Side Academy (she declines to reveal the year) and studied film at New York University. She never acted in plays in high school but while in college studying film writing and directing, she helped fellow students on their productions. "I convinced them to give me a featured extra part just so I could be in front of the camera," she said. After college she wasn't sure what to do with the degree. She wrote a script for a Pittsburgh doctor who moonlights as a filmmaker. "I'm the daughter of two Indian, immigrant doctors and I have an older sister and younger brother and none of us have pursued medicine as a career," she said. "We're all over the artistic side of things." Ms. Mann's brother, Nishad, is a journalist and her sister, Kruti, helped influence her decision to switch to acting. Kruti, who also lives in Los Angeles, is a filmmaker and cast Ms. Mann in her 2006 film "The Memsahib." While filming her scenes, Ms. Mann said she "got bit by the bug" to act and enrolled in acting classes in Los Angeles.
