On Saturday, Ankita Lokhande completed 15 years in the industry, and the actor credits all her success to her first show Pavitra Rishta, which also featured late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She took to Instagram to share a heartwarming note to mark the occasion. 

In the show, the actor was seen in the role of Archana. It featured Sushant as Manav. The show, which aired from June 2009 to October 2014, became one of the top-rated Hindi television programs after its broadcast.

Ankita pens a thank you note

Sharing a clip featuring a montage of several scenes from the show, Ankita penned a gratitude note on her Instagram.

“15 years ago, I started my journey as Archana in Pavitra Rishta. Little did I know that even after years, I will continue to get so much love for my role, which has even become my identity. I sometimes feel I was destined to be Archana. I had her in me, and I continue to have her in me. She has taught me a lot about life,” she said, adding, “I am forever indebted to @ektarkapoor @ek_ek_ekoo ma’am and @balajitelefilmslimited for giving me a role of a lifetime right in the beginning of my career. Main rahoon ya na rahoon, the love I have received, Archana and Pavitra Rishta has received from each one of you will keep me alive forever in your hearts, and I don’t think there’s anything more precious than that”.

Here, she also looked back at the role her former boyfriend Sushant, who passed away in 2020, played in her career.

Ankita wrote, “But my journey wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t have Sushant’s support. I didn’t even know how to act when I started Pavitra Rishta. He taught me, and I will always be thankful for him. The show started a new kind of storytelling. Hindi television par Marathi culture ko dikhaya. Isse pehle kabhi koi aisa show aaya nahi tha. People could resonate with the show because of the innocence the show and the people involved in it had.”

“And last but not the least, I would like to thank the television industry for giving me so much love. My first brush with fandom and stardom happened because of a television show, and I am always going to be thankful for that,” she concluded the note, with multiple heart emojis.

While Sushant made his debut as the second lead in the TV series Kis Desh Mein Hain Mera Dil, he shot to fame with Pavitra Rishta. Ankita and Sushant met on the set of the show, and started dating. They ended their six-year relationship in 2016.

Ankita’s journey

After Ankita's small screen debut, she participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4 and Comedy Circus ka Naya Daur. She did two episodes for Ek Thhi Naayka, opposite Sachin Shroff.

The actor reprised her role as Archana Deshmukh in the web series Pavitra Rishta: It's Never Too Late along with Shaheer Sheikh from 2021 to 2022. In February 2022, she participated and won Smart Jodi with her husband, Vicky Jain. In 2023, she participated in the reality show Bigg Boss 17, where she finished as the third runner-up.

She made her film debut with Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019). She has since starred in Baaghi 3 (2020), and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar this year.