Uttara Baokar, a graduate of  the National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, is a stage, film and television actor. After graduating from NSD in 1968 she joined NSD Repertory in 1971.

At NSD Repertory she acted in several memorable plays like Padmavati in Mukhyamantri, the Mena in Mena Gurjari, Desdemona in Shakespeare's Othello, the mother in Girish Karnad's Tughlaq, the nautch girl in Chhote Saiyad Bade Saiyad, and Umrao in Umrao Jaan. She also directed a few plays. In 1978, she directed Jaywant Dalvi's play Sandhya Chhaya, in Hindi.

Later she began to act in TV serials. Some of the most well-known serials in which she acted are –Udaan (1990), Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin (2003). She appeared in many Hindi films, like Tamas (1987), Ek Din Achanak (1989), Sardari Begum (1996), Dor (2006) and Aaja Nachle (2007). She has appeared in Marathi films like Doghi (1995), Uttarayan (2005), Shevri (2006), Restaurant (2006) and Samhita (2013). 

Uttara Baokar received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984. In 1989 she won the National Film Award for the Best Supporting Actress for Mrinal Sen’s Ek Din Achanak.