“Main Bachpan Se Hi Heroine​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Banna Chahti Thi”

The transition has been an extraordinary one for the bubbly girl ANKITA LOKHANDE... from being one of the most loved heroines on TV to starting off her Bollywood career with Manikarnika alongside Kangana Ranaut. In conversation with Shivani Kuthe, the actor shares her excitement about her Bollywood debut, a special addition in her personal life and more…

- Shivani Kuthe

We last saw you in Ekta Kapoor’s Ek Thhi Naayka as Pragya and you will be next seen on the big screen in the film Manikarnika after a hiatus of four years. What have you been up to?

I have been preparing for my filmi career for a while now and I am very excited. My life has changed a lot. Being an actor has been a dream for me since my childhood. After Pavitra Rishta ended, I didn’t think I would get into this but then quite a few offers came and then Manikarnika happened and here we are!

How did Manikarnika happen?

My producer Kamal Jain and I have been good friends for a while and he was the one who proposed this role to me. At first, I was a bit skeptical. But then I was sure and said that let’s try and see. But when I did the look test, they thought I was perfect for this role and so I took it.

Could you introduce your character to our readers?

When I first came across this role, I had no clue who Jhalkaribai was. I mean, we’ve grown up listening to poems and stories of Rani of Jhansi but I never knew anything about this character. But when I was introduced to her, Krish sir narrated the story of Jhalkaribai, it was very exciting because she was very brave. In fact, she was just like Rani Lakshmi bai, sirf itna fark tha ki woh gareebon mein badi hui thi. She also looked a lot like Rani. She knew everything about fighting and strategy, she had learnt all of this in her childhood. Representing someone so brave for the audience onscreen was so important for me while taking up this role.

How did you prepare for this role?