Shanti Priya was born on 22 September 1969 in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India. She was born into a Telugu-speaking family and later moved with her family to Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her elder sister is actress Bhanupriya, and she also has a brother, Gopikrishna.
Shanti Priya began her film career in the late 1980s. She made her early screen appearances in South Indian cinema and worked across Tamil and Telugu films. Her Tamil work included Enga Ooru Pattukaran (1987), while she also appeared in Telugu films such as Maharshi and Agni.
She entered Hindi cinema with Saugandh (1991), which also marked Akshay Kumar's Hindi-film debut. Shanti Priya played Chand in the film and subsequently appeared in several Hindi productions.
Her notable Hindi films include Saugandh (1991), Mere Sajana Saath Nibhana (1992), Meherbaan (1993), Phool Aur Angaar (1993), Ikke Pe Ikka (1994) and Aandha Intaquam (1993).
Shanti Priya also worked in television, appearing in productions including Vishwamitra, Mata Ki Chowki, Bhagwaan Shri Krishna and other television projects. Her role as Mata Vaishno Devi in Mata Ki Chowki brought her additional recognition among television audiences.
She married actor Siddharth Ray in 1992. He died in 2004, and the couple had two sons. Shanti Priya subsequently maintained a relatively private personal life while continuing to remain connected with the entertainment industry.
After a period away from mainstream films, she returned to acting and appeared in later projects, including Dharavi Bank and the 2025 Tamil film Bad Girl.