Indian television show Pavitra Rishta, which aired from 2009-2014 on ZEE TV, made its lead pair Ankita Lokhande and Sushant Singh Rajput a household name in the country. Lokhande, who returns to reprise her role in the reboot version of the show, says that she never stopped living her character, Archana Deshmukh.
Talking to a publication, the actress says, “I have been living Archana for 12 years. I was never out of the character. I definitely feel that because I have loved Archana so much, that it was very easy for me to become her.”
Recalling her first day on the sets of Pavitra Rishta 2.0, Lokhande says she was nervous. “I remember I was nervous because I did not know how to go back on the sets of Pavitra Rishta and start playing Archana again. It was a little difficult but I was okay with that afterwards when I started shooting and met the whole team. Everyone was very nice and welcoming.”
The actress goes on to reveal how the idea to make Pavitra Rishta 2.0 came into being. She says that Ekta Kapoor wanted them to work together again and it was then she suggested the producer to work on a reboot version of Pavitra Rishta. “Because this was my show. I did not want someone else to do my role in Pavitra Rishta five years later. I would have been very angry,” she says.
Sharing how the character of Archana Deshmukh has transitioned from being a shy girl to becoming the 21st-century working woman, Lokhande says, “She is more confident this time and talks about her likes and dislikes. The old Archana was in that compromising state all the time. This time, Archana is of the 21st century. She is working, she is very confident and she fights for her love.”
Also starring Shaheer Sheikh in the lead role, Pavitra Rishta 2.0 is set to premiere on 15th September on ZEE5.
