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Living and breathing her dream
Author : Anjali Mangal
Unlike most of her contemporaries who claim to never have planned an acting career, Indore's Ankita Lokhande always knew that she belonged in front of the camera
Since the fourth standard, I had wanted to act and dance like Madhuri Dixit, but not even in my wildest dreams had I imagined that one day I would actually dance in front of her and she would compliment me!" exclaims an ecstatic Ankita Lokhande.
Having grown up dreaming of a star's life, Lokhande was always very certain of her ambition to becoming an actor, which is why her extra-curricular activities, especially dance, always took top priority for her.
"I was an average student in school, but since I never had my sights set on an academics-oriented career, bad results never bothered me," she shrugs. In fact, it was her determination that helped her stay focused even when she did not get selected for Zee TV's acting reality show Cinestar Ki Khoj from Indore. Determined to give it another shot, Lokhande decided to reappear from Nagpur. "I decided to audition again from Nagpur, even though I had been rejected in Indore. It was a spontaneous decision because the opportunity was too good to let go," reasons Ankita, who not only went on to get appreciated for her acting skills on the show but also won the 'Best Dancer' title in it, which was enough for her to shift base to Mumbai to chase her dreams. "It was a hard decision, but to succeed in life, one must take risks. In retrospect, the time I spent as a struggling model and actor taught me a lot," confesses the actor, who used to do model for catalogues and fashion shows apart from acting for the TV Show Bali Umar Ko Salam which never got aired due to technical issues. "When I auditioned for Pavitra Rishta, I was nervous to the core because I was always known as a dancer and acting was relatively newer genre for me. However, I have learnt the finer nuances over time and now I am thoroughly enjoying it," she smiles confidently, adding that being on Jhalak Dikhla Jaa 4 satisfied the dancer in her, completely.
A household name because of the popularity of Pavitra Rishta, Lokhande chose to stay on the show even after many of her co-actors (including her beau Sushant Rajput) left the serial. "I have always worked for what I genuinely like, and the show is one such project. That is why I am not endorsing any brands even though I get offered many," she opines, citing the advertisement she shot with
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. "It was great working with her. She is so sweet and professional. There's a lot to learn from her," she added.
Speaking about professionalism, is there any truth to the rumors of Lokhande's temper and starry tantrums? "I am a straightforward person, who likes to speak her heart out. I can't ever anything, and this is my biggest strength and weakness," defends Lokhande.
In a steady relationship with actor Sushant Rajput who proposed to her on national television, Lokhande revealed that marriage would most likely take place next year. "It came as a shock when Sushant proposed to me on television. I had expected something similar, but not this—Sushant is too shy for something like this!" laughs the actor, adding that her family based in Indore also approves of the match. So apart from marriage, what else is in store for her? "I have not decided on future projects as yet. I am only focusing on my current one," she signs off.
Living and breathing her dream
Author : Anjali Mangal
Unlike most of her contemporaries who claim to never have planned an acting career, Indore's Ankita Lokhande always knew that she belonged in front of the camera
Since the fourth standard, I had wanted to act and dance like Madhuri Dixit, but not even in my wildest dreams had I imagined that one day I would actually dance in front of her and she would compliment me!" exclaims an ecstatic Ankita Lokhande.
Having grown up dreaming of a star's life, Lokhande was always very certain of her ambition to becoming an actor, which is why her extra-curricular activities, especially dance, always took top priority for her.
"I was an average student in school, but since I never had my sights set on an academics-oriented career, bad results never bothered me," she shrugs. In fact, it was her determination that helped her stay focused even when she did not get selected for Zee TV's acting reality show Cinestar Ki Khoj from Indore. Determined to give it another shot, Lokhande decided to reappear from Nagpur. "I decided to audition again from Nagpur, even though I had been rejected in Indore. It was a spontaneous decision because the opportunity was too good to let go," reasons Ankita, who not only went on to get appreciated for her acting skills on the show but also won the 'Best Dancer' title in it, which was enough for her to shift base to Mumbai to chase her dreams. "It was a hard decision, but to succeed in life, one must take risks. In retrospect, the time I spent as a struggling model and actor taught me a lot," confesses the actor, who used to do model for catalogues and fashion shows apart from acting for the TV Show Bali Umar Ko Salam which never got aired due to technical issues. "When I auditioned for Pavitra Rishta, I was nervous to the core because I was always known as a dancer and acting was relatively newer genre for me. However, I have learnt the finer nuances over time and now I am thoroughly enjoying it," she smiles confidently, adding that being on Jhalak Dikhla Jaa 4 satisfied the dancer in her, completely.
A household name because of the popularity of Pavitra Rishta, Lokhande chose to stay on the show even after many of her co-actors (including her beau Sushant Rajput) left the serial. "I have always worked for what I genuinely like, and the show is one such project. That is why I am not endorsing any brands even though I get offered many," she opines, citing the advertisement she shot with
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. "It was great working with her. She is so sweet and professional. There's a lot to learn from her," she added.
Speaking about professionalism, is there any truth to the rumors of Lokhande's temper and starry tantrums? "I am a straightforward person, who likes to speak her heart out. I can't ever anything, and this is my biggest strength and weakness," defends Lokhande.
In a steady relationship with actor Sushant Rajput who proposed to her on national television, Lokhande revealed that marriage would most likely take place next year. "It came as a shock when Sushant proposed to me on television. I had expected something similar, but not this—Sushant is too shy for something like this!" laughs the actor, adding that her family based in Indore also approves of the match. So apart from marriage, what else is in store for her? "I have not decided on future projects as yet. I am only focusing on my current one," she signs off.
Kumkum Bhagya
