ANKITA LOKHANDE

ANKITA LOKHANDE - TV/Film Actress

Ankita Lokhande (born Tanuja Lokhande on 19 December 1984)

Ankita made her television debut with Zee Cine Stars Ki Khoj (Season 1) and also earned many accolades from directors such as Mahesh Manjrekar, Satish Kaushik. She was a participant in the show that was a popular talent-hunt show.

In 2008, she was chosen to play the protagonist in NDTV Imagine's Bali Umar Ko Salaam opposite Jay Soni. Though some episodes were also shot but due to some unknown reasons, the project never went on air and hence she did not find herself into limelight.

In 2009, Ankita got her breakthrough role of Archana in Ekta Kapoor's Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV. She played the role of female protagonist Archana, who though is not highly educated but handles the whole house work impeccably. Every one is dependant on her but except for her brother and mother no one really values her importance. It acted like a milestone for her career as she quickly stole the limelight for her role. Her acting was appreciated by viewers as well as TV critics. Her chemistry with costar Sushant Singh Rajput was also well appreciated by the audience. She received a lot of appreciation & recognition for her role of Archana Deshmukh in the serial and the role made her one of the best actresses of Indian television. Since June 2009, Pavitra Rishta is giving consistent good TRPs and is the top show of the channel.

Later in 2010, Ankita was seen as a guest in an episode of Comedy Ka Daily Soap. She gave a special dance performance in the show. In December 2010, she participated in the fourth season of celebrity dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa with choreographer Nishant Bhatt. It helped her in showing her dancing skills to the audience. She was finally eliminated at 5th position on 21 February 2011. She also appeared in the promotional video of Ramayan (another Zee TV serial).

In 2013, Ankita had also been in Ek Thhi Naayka an eight episodic mini series created by Ekta Kapoor for the promotion of the film Ek Thi Daayan as one of the Naayka and played the role of Pragya. The episode aired on 9 & 10 March 2013 on Life OK.

Ankita is a good stage performer. She has performed at various well-known award functions and events on television before participating in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4 in 2011. In 2009, she performed at Zee Rishtey Awards, an award show that honors the faces and actors of Zee TV. It aired on 28 February 2010 on Zee TV. In the same event she also performed a dance number with costar Sushant Singh Rajput.

In 2010, Ankita performed at Azaadi Live an event by Star Plus to celebrate Independence Day. Ankita also performed at 10th Indian Television Academy Awards with the other leading ladies of Indian Television. In the same year she performed again at Zee Rishtey Awards along with Sushant Singh Rajput. In the same year she also performed at 3rd Boroplus Gold Awards along with Sushant Singh Rajput.

In 2011, she performed at Umeed - Ka Naya Chehra an event by Zee TV that changed the entire face of Zee TV to mark the new inpression and new logo. In the same year, she also performed at the special event of Diwali celebration by Zee TV for the year 2011. The event titled Zee Ki Diwali. Ankita also performed in the same event with Sushant Singh Rajput. Aishwariya Rai & Akshay Kumar graced the event for the promotion of their film Action Replayy. She also performed at 4th Boroplus Gold Awards and Zee Rishtey Awards along with Hiten Tejwani.

In 2012, she was a special guest at SAB TV's, Movers & Shakers Masala Markey hosted by Shekhar Suman. She has also given a special dance performance in the same year at Dance India Dance Li'l Masters 2 where she was paired with contestant Saumya.

In the same year, she performed two items songs with Shweta Tiwari at The 11th Indian Telly Awards, an award show that felicitates the actors and technicians of Indian Television. In the same year, Ankita also performed at 5th Boroplus Gold Awards along with Nandish Sandhu and at Zee Rishtey Awards.

In January 2013, Ankita made her presence felt in in Sagaai Special Episode of Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke, an another show on Zee TV and also danced on Manmohini, Lagaa Chunari Mein Daag and Abhi Mujh Mein Kahinn along with Rithvik Dhanjani a co-star from her show Pavitra Rishta.