Ankita Lokhande has revisited a cherished chapter from her teenage years, recalling how Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas became connected with her own dream of moving to Mumbai and becoming an actress.
The actor recently recreated the atmosphere of the iconic film by performing to the song ‘Bairi Piya’ in a traditional red saree. Sharing the performance on social media, Ankita paired the video with a heartfelt note about the young girl she once was and the ambitions she carried at the time.
Ankita Lokhande recalls her Class 11 days
Looking back at the release of Devdas, Ankita said she was in Class 11 and had already begun imagining a future in Mumbai.
She recalled being a teenager who was trying to convince herself that the dream of becoming a heroine could eventually become reality.
“Can I go back to 2000 when Devdas was released and I clearly remember I was in 11th standard and only dreaming and trying to convince I was dreaming of coming to Mumbai and becoming a heroine,” Ankita wrote.
Her post reflected on how difficult it can be for a young person to know where a dream will eventually lead.
“That little girl had no idea where life would take her, but today, looking back, my heart is filled with gratitude,” she added.
‘Some films don’t just stay with you’
For Ankita, Devdas represents more than a celebrated Hindi film. Her latest recreation suggests that the movie became part of the personal imagination she carried while growing up and aspiring to work in entertainment.
“Some films don’t just stay with you, they become a part of your dreams and your journey,” she wrote.
She also described herself as a longtime admirer of the film, ending her post with a simple tribute to Devdas.
Her recreation of ‘Bairi Piya’ brought that connection into the present, with the actor using the song and traditional styling to revisit the visual world of one of Hindi cinema’s most remembered romantic dramas.
From Pavitra Rishta to Bollywood
Ankita Lokhande’s own acting journey began with television. She became widely known after taking on the role of Archana Deshmukh in Pavitra Rishta, which premiered in 2009.
The character, portrayed as a middle-class young woman navigating family and relationships, became one of the most recognizable roles of Ankita’s television career. The series continued for several years and established her as a popular television performer.
Her journey later expanded to the Hindi film industry.
Ankita made her Bollywood debut with Manikarnika
Ankita made her Bollywood debut in 2019 with Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, in which she played Jhalkari Bai.
She subsequently appeared in films including Baaghi 3 and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, continuing her transition from television to cinema.
That journey gives her latest Devdas tribute an especially personal context. The teenager who once imagined herself traveling to Mumbai and becoming a heroine eventually built a career in the entertainment industry herself.
Years after watching the film as a student, Ankita is now able to recreate one of its memorable songs as an actor.
For her, the moment appears to be less about simply revisiting a classic and more about acknowledging how cinema can influence the dreams people carry long before they know where those dreams will take them.
