Gauri Pradhan was born on 16 September 1977 in Pune, Maharashtra into a Marathi family. Her father, Major Subhash Vasudeo Pradhan, is a retired Indian Army officer, and her mother Asha is a homemaker. She studied at Mount Carmel Convent School, Pune, and later pursued a B.Sc. degree at Sir Parashurambhau College, Pune.
She began her career as a model and appeared in music videos like Khubsoorat by Talat Aziz before entering television. Her breakthrough came with Kutumb (2001–2003), where she played Gauri Agarwal Mittal opposite Hiten Tejwani. The duo became one of the most beloved on-screen couples of Indian TV. She later starred as Nandini Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, further cementing her popularity. Over the years, she has appeared in shows like Special Squad, Left Right Left, and Tu Aashiqui.