Ragini's family hails from Mehsana in Gujarat, but the actress was born and raised up in Mumbai. She was raised in a Gujarati language household. Ragini's maternal grandmother and her mother were both noted actresses of Gujarati plays, and her father was also a music director in the industry. Her family has been associated with the entertainment industry since the 1930s.

Shah has appeared in more than 50 Gujarati films. She is also a director. Due to repetitive roles and financial limitations in the Gujarati industry, she moved to Mumbai, where she took part in some Hindi television serials and live performances. There she appeared in the lead role in the Gujarati-language TV drama, Moti Baa which was aired on ETV Gujarati.

Ragini also has numerous Hindi TV dramas to her credit. She made her debut with a supporting role in Chanakya in the early 1990s on Doordarshan. She appeared as Rashmi Shekhar Nanavati in the Hindi serial Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka on Sony TV in 1999, which remains to date one of the most popular comedy-dramas on Indian television. In 2001, she bagged a role in Chandan Ka Palna Resham Ki Dori, which was followed by a series of supporting and motherly roles in various Hindi soap operas. Shah is widely remembered for her role of Dugba in the romantic drama Saraswatichandra (2013–14), which was based on a novel of the same name; as well her portrayal of Maasa in Diya Aur Baati Hum (2011–16), which remains one of the highet-rated shows on Indian television.

She had a role in Harun Arun (2009), under the direction of Vinod Ganatra. Shah has also performed live all across India, as well in the UK and the USA.^[6]

As of May 2017, Ragini Shah is portraying a parallel lead role of Dayavanti Mehta in the drama Naamkarann on Star Plus channel. Director Mahesh Bhatt approached Shah for the role, after the sudden demise of veteran actress Reema Lagoo, who was previously playing the same role.^[7]

Ragini is married to actor-director Deepak Gheewala, with whom she worked with in the drama Gulaal. Gheewala has directed Gujarati shows like Jo Jo Moda Na Padta and Grahan, among others.

Television

• Moti Baa (Gujarati serial on ETV Gujarati)
• Chanakya
• Aati Rahengi Baharein
• Chandan Ka Palna Resham Ki Dori as Mrs. Janki Bimani
• Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka as Rashmi Shekhar Nanavati
• Mera Sasuraal
• Diya Aur Baati Hum as Maasa^[8]
• Gulaal
• Saraswatichandra as Dugba
• Naamkarann as Dayavanti Mehta *Tu Tu Main Main Devika as Sasuma

Selected films

• Daku Rani Ganga (1976, debut Gujarati film)
• Harun Arun (2009, Gujarati)
• Hardik Abhinandan (2016, Gujarati)