Pavitra Rishta 2: Ankita Lokhande says the show’s title song made her tear up

Ankita Lokhande will soon be seen in the ZEE5 revival of Pavitra Rishta, the 2009 Balaji soap that made her and Sushant Singh Rajput household names.

Shaheer Sheikh has now replaced the late actor as Manav in the web-series, slated to release on the streaming platform on 15 September. 

In a recent interview with Mid-Day, the actor says she was overcome with emotions after hearing the title song. 

“When I listened to the title song, ‘Aasman Mein Jab Tak Sitare Rahenge’, it pinched me hard. There are a lot of memories (attached to) the song. I got goosebumps and started crying because I have lived the character of Archana for 12 years,” she says.

The actor also spoke about the online backlash Pavitra Rishta 2 received after Sheikh boarded the cast. For many ardent fans of the original show, Rajput's rendition of Manav seemed irreplaceable. However, Lokhande believes Sheikh brings his own uniqueness to the role just as Hiten Tejwani once had. 

Lokhande says while she sympathises with fans who are attached to Rajput's rendition of Manav, the show is "also my baby, and I am not taking advantage of anybody." "I am recreating something that was beautiful. The show’s legacy should go on," she explains.  

Lokhande, who has also starred in films like Manikarnika and Baaghi 3, played Archana on Pavitra Rishta from 2009 through 2014, making it her longest stint on a TV show. 

Pavitra Rishta is produced by actor-producer Bhairavi Raichura, and written by Nikita Dhond, Gautam Hegde and Ritu Bhatia. 

The revival also stars Usha Nadkarni, Asheema Vardaan and Randeep Rai.