Rama Patel, the beautiful Indian wife of Buchanan Enterprises employee Vimal Patel, arrived in Llanview, PA, in January 2011 to see her husband, who had been recently transferred to the BE headquarters office from the London offices. Rama was shocked to learn that Vimal had participated in a crime under orders from BE CEO Clint Buchanan. Vimal confessed to his wife that he had broken into a hospital lab and switched DNA tests that proved Clint was the father of Rex Balsom and that Robert Ford was the father of Clint's daughter Jessica's baby Ryder. Vimal wanted to resign from BE, but Rama convinced him to use this information to secure a better position at the company. Rama spilled the beans to her former boarding school friend, Aubrey Wentworth, who was engaged to marry Joey. On the day of the double wedding of Clint's daughters, Jessica and Natalie, Rama stood by Vimal's side as he confessed to switching the DNA tests, sending the Buchanan family into a tailspin. Vimal was prepared to implicate Clint in exchange for immunity. But Aubrey, who herself was a con artist only after the Buchanan fortune, convinced Rama that she and her husband would end up with nothing if Clint was prosecuted for the crime. Aubrey promised to compensate Rama handsomely if Vimal "took one for the team." Rama convinced Vimal to confess to the crime, telling him he would be out of a job if he ratted on Clint and leading him to believe that she was pregnant. Rama then forced Aubrey to let her move into the Buchanan mansion, threatening to expose to her new husband Joey the fact that she was actually a con artist and imposter.

Rama settled in to a comfortable life at the Buchanan mansion, becoming friendly with Nigel as they watched Access Llanview together. Rama also struck up a friendship with hunky Capricorn bartender Cristian Vega. Cristian took Rama to Statesville Prison so she could visit her husband. Rama couldn't bear to tell her husband that she was not really pregnant, so she let him believe that she was still carrying his child. Before they left, Vimal told Cristian to be careful around Rama because she was in a delicate condition. Cristian later asked Rama if she was pregnant, and she told him she wasn't. Cristian and Rama were embarrassed when Access Llanview reported that Rama was hanging out with Cristian, who had been voted "Llanview's best arms." Rama was worried that Vimal would be jealous when he saw the report.

Rama's guilt over lying to Vimal weighed on her, but she couldn't bear to tell him the truth. Meanwhile, she was feeling closer to Cristian and actually kissed him at the gym. After Cutter Wentworth blackmailed Clint Buchanan into giving him the deed to the Buchanan mansion in exchange for having his quickie marriage to Jessica's alter Tess annulled, Cutter threw out Aubrey and Joey. But Rama threatened to reveal a secret she knew about Cutter that not even Aubrey knew, so he allowed her to stay. Vimal was released from jail after Clint confessed on live television to ordering Vimal to change the test results. He stunned Rama by showing up at the mansion. When Vimal saw Cristian and Rama kissing, Rama pretended that Cristian had just come onto her and Cristian played along. After Aubrey was found out by Joey, she returned to the mansion and revealed to a stunned Vimal that Rama wasn't pregnant. Rama was shocked by Aubrey's betrayal and tried to explain everything to Vimal, but he refused to listen and walked out on her. After Cutter lost the house due to a loophole inserted into the contract by Clint, Rama showed up at Aubrey's room at the Minute Man Motel and Aubrey allowed her to stay after the two made peace.

Rama tried to smooth things over with Cristian, but he was angry at being lied to and told her that they were through. Rama was pleased that Vimal had gotten a new job at the Sun newspaper, but she worried when Vimal revealed that he had gotten himself into another secretive situation.

Vimal told Rama that his parents had arrived from India and he would have to tell them the truth about his incarceration and the fact that they did not have a grandchild on the way. Vimal's mother arrived at Foxy Roxy's to get her nails done for the premiere of the Vickerman movie, and Rama realized that Vimal hadn't told his parents the truth. Cristian outfitted Rama with a water balloon that made her appear pregnant, and Rama arrived at the Vickerman movie to help her husband out of a jam. The plan backfired, however, when Robert Ford accidentally stuck Rama in the belly with appetizer sticks and her balloon burst. Rama admitted she had lied about being pregnant. Vimal's mother understood how much Rama loved Vimal and she urged them to reconcile, which they did.

Cutter learned that Rex Balsom was trying to decipher a clue related to visions of his dead wife that had something to do with a spotted pony, and Cutter feared that the secret of what happened at the Spotted Pony strip club in Anchorage, Kentucky, would be exposed. Cutter accused Rama of spilling the secret to Rex, but Rama assured Cutter that his secret was safe with her. Later, Cutter and Rama worked together to set up Cutter's sister, Kimberly Andrews, for a crime Cutter had committed at the Spotted Pony. Several years ago, Cutter had accidentally given a lethal drug overdose to a man that he and Kim were trying to scam. Rama had showed up, looking for Kim because Kim had stolen money from Rama to have plastic surgery, and took a picture of Cutter crouched over the dead man. Rama never turned over the evidence to the police but used it as leverage against Cutter. But to get back at Kim, Rama allowed Cutter to doctor the photo to make it appear that it was Kim crouched over the body. Cutter took the evidence to the police, who arrested Kim in front of Cutter and Rama. Later, Aubrey convinced Rama to give her the undoctored photo, which Aubrey in turn handed over to the police. Kim was freed, and Cutter eventually was arrested.

By April 2013, Rama and Cutter had mended their fences and were working together at Blair's new club, Shelter. Rama had separated from her husband, Vimal, because she felt she was too young to be tied down to one person. Vimal agreed to an open marriage, on the condition that Rama return home to him each night. Rama liked the arrangement but became jealous when Vimal wanted to explore dating other women as well.

As Rama continued her work at Shelter, she met the movie star David Vickers and admitted that she was a fan of his work. David was flattered by Rama's admission and asked her to be his sidekick on a reality show based upon his life. Rama agreed and engaged in a mutual flirtation with David that led to a kiss. David's wife Dorian witnessed the kiss and the couple made plans to divorce. David decided to turn his divorce into a new reality show but informed Rama that she would not have a part.