It has been over a month of revelry and bliss for Ankita Lokhande who tied the knot with Vicky Jain in mid-December. Now, work has come calling. The actor will be seen in the second season of Pavitra Rishta: It’s Never Too Late alongside Shaheer Sheikh. She is glad that Sheikh has been accepted in a role that was immortalised by the late Sushant Singh Rajput. “I was sure Shaheer would slip into the character of Manav because he is a great actor. Be it Sushant or some other actor, what matters is that people should be able to connect [with the actor], and the chemistry [between the leads] should work,” says Lokhande.

The revival of Pavitra Rishta last year was not an easy ride. While a section of the audience had cheered Sheikh on, many were irked to see another actor step into Rajput’s shoes. Did the polarising response upset her? “There will be people who will talk [ill of you], and then, there will be those who like your work. I look at the positive side; there is no point in seeing the negative side.”

The second edition of the ZEE5 series begins with central characters Manav and Archana living separately due to a misunderstanding. Asked how it feels to return to work after marriage, Lokhande credits her husband for encouraging her to take up interesting projects. “Vicky is supportive as a husband. He is the one who motivates me to try out different things in life; he pushes me to go and work. That means a lot to me because you need that kind of support. I truly feel like Archana now. It’s a beautiful space to be in.”