Historical film choice for actress’s debut
ACTRESS Ankita Lokhande said she chose to act in Manikarnika – The Queen of Jhansi, starring Kangana Ranaut, because she wanted to do something which was acting and performance-oriented.
Asked why she chose this film for her debut, even though she was not playing the lead, Lokhande said:
“I’m more into characters and actingoriented things.”
Lokhande said that even if she was on screen for only 15 minutes, she should be “visible, and noticed by people”.
“People should appreciate my character. Nowadays it doesn’t matter if a heroine is there in the whole film or not. What character you play and how you play (it) really matters…”
The actress, 34, who is fondly remembered as Archana from the television show Pavitra Rishta, said she wanted to bring out her brave side and she got to show that as Jhalkari Bai.
Manikarnika – The Queen of Jhansi is based on the life journey of warrior queen Rani Laxmibai.
The movie, which is due to be released on Friday, also stars Atul Kulkarni, Jisshu Sengupta, Suresh Oberoi, and Danny Denzongpa.
Was there any pressure on Lokhande to work on a historical film for the first time? “I wouldn’t say that it was quite pressurising or anything.
“I was happy doing it because you know I was getting an opportunity to play someone who has been a role model for many and to date, she is a role model. People follow and worship her, so there was nothing about whether I should do it or not.
“There was no kind of pressure.” She said the only pressure she had was about not hurting people’s feelings. | IANS