Dharker made her screen debut in the 1989 François Villiers film Manika, une vie plus tard. She subsequently went on to star in many American, French and Indian films. She has had many television roles in the UK, particularly in Cutting It and Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee, in which she co-starred with Meera Syal.

Her most internationally recognised role came in 2002 when she played Queen Jamillia, the Queen of Naboo, in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. In the same year she appeared in the critically acclaimed Anita and Me. Dharker starred in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Bombay Dreams, both in London’s West End and on Broadway (2004). She also starred in The Mistress of Spices (2005).

In 2006, she played the role of Asha in the film Outsourced.

In 2008, she played the role of Tara Mandal in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.

In May 2010 she married Robert Taylor in St Giles Cripplegate, London.

In 2010, she played doctor’s wife Kamini Sharma opposite Sanjeev Bhaskar in the BBC’s comedy drama series The Indian Doctor.

In 2017, Dharker began playing Nina Karnik in a returning role on long running BBC drama Holby City.