Did You Know Ankita Lokhande’s Real Name Is Tanuja And She Was Never Interested In Acting?

Pavitra Rishta actress Ankita Lokhande has been grabbing headlines for her ongoing stint in the Bigg Boss house. The actress is generating a lot of buzz after she spoke up about her break up with the late actor, Sushant Singh Rajput and how she cannot “tolerate” her husband, Vicky Jain’s voice after a fight. While much has been known about her on-screen life, very few know about her personal life like her career before acting and education background.

Ankita Lokhande’s real name is Tanuja Lokhande. Her father Shashikant Lokhande is a banker by profession, while her mother Vandana is a teacher. Hailing from Indore, the actress completed her graduation from there. But the most interesting information is that she was never interested in acting. Even her family was not very keen on her becoming an actress.

Reportedly, Ankita Lokhande wanted to pursue her dream of being an air hostess and hence, she joined the Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training. But it looks like destiny had some other plans for her. It was during this time that India’s Best Cinestar Ki Khoj scheduled an audition round in Indore. She decided to participate and got selected. As per media reports, during the show, she developed an interest in acting and her inclination grew. While her parents were not very supportive initially, seeing her interest in it, they gave in.

Ankita Lokhande came to Mumbai in 2004 and decided to model. Later, she was roped in for Ektaa R Kapoor’s Pavitra Rishta in the role of Archana. She made a mark in the showbiz industry with her par excellence acting in this TV serial and was cast opposite Sushant Singh Rajput. Her role earned her many accolades and awards as well including the Indian Television Academy Award and the Indian Telly Award. It was with this show that she became a household name and created a distinct identity for herself. She later ventured into Bollywood and made her big screen debut with Kangana Ranaut’s Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi in 2019. She later starred in Baaghi 3 in 2020. Currently, she is a part of the Bigg Boss 17 show.