Kangana Ranaut will do well as a filmmaker, says Ankita Lokhande

Ankita Lokhande who plays the role of Jhalkaribai in Manikarnika may well be making her debut in the film, but she is already a known face in the entertainment world thanks to being a TV star in her own right.

She reveals that she worked hard to prepare in the action department rather than in the emotional sequences. “I had many workshops. Action director Nick Powell was hired from Hollywood and trained us for 40 days. I had great fun during the sword fighting scenes. I loved wielding the sword and fighting with it. I shot the guns too, but they were rather heavy,” she says.

What she did not, however, enjoy of the film, and was in fact, scared about, was horse riding.  “I am very scared of horse riding and horses as well. I fell down so many times. I was not at all comfortable doing it, but I had to do as the character demanded it,” rues the Pavitra Rishta actress.

Not one to let Kangana take all the credit by playing Lakshmibai, Ankita says her role too is significant. “I am feeling very happy and proud. It feels good when your work gets appreciated even if it is the trailer at the moment. Jhalkaribai was as important as Rani Lakshmibai, as were so many others who sacrificed their lives. When I was offered the role, I grabbed it with both hands,” she says.

Kangana may have come in for a lot of criticism for taking everyone hands on, but Ankita is a huge fan.

“I think she is a superb actress and a disciplined one. An actor needs discipline. There is a reason why she is where she is today. I am also like that. I don’t listen to anyone and give my best. It will be my regret if I am wrong and it will be my gain if I am right. Kangana shot a few scenes of me and I won’t be wrong if I say that her career as a director started with some of my scenes. She has done well in whatever she has done till date and I am sure that she will do well as a filmmaker too,” she gushes.

Elaborating on the character she plays, Ankita says, “She was a great person, if I am able to tell people what she meant to convey through her sacrifice. The writers too had it in mind what they wanted to do when they wrote about the character and how they wanted to present it. Earlier a few people may have known about her, but now the entire world will.”