'Mujhe shaadi karni hai': Ankita Lokhande on rejecting 'Happy New Year', 'Bajirao Mastani' for Sushant Singh Rajput

It's a known fact that Ankita Lokhande was the first choice for Happy New Year the role which was eventually played by Deepika Padukone. Now, during a recent interaction, the Pavitra Rishta actor opened up about rejecting the film directed by Farah Khan Kunder and starring Shah Rukh Khan in the titular role. Not just that, Ankita also revealed that she rejected Bajirao Mastani as well as Sultan while she was dating Sushant Singh Rajput.

Talking about turning down Happy New Year, Lokhande told Bollywood Bubble, "I gave up on many things. I gave up on Happy New Year. I remember Farah (Khan) ma’am had offered me this film. I had met Shah Rukh Khan sir also. He had assured me to give me the best debut. But back of the mind, I was in Macao, Sushant, Shah Rukh sir and I. I was like Bhagwan mera naa ho yaar because I was like literally. Ladki kaisi hoti hai naa, nahi yaar mere partner ka acha ho. I mean that’s what you think. Till today, I have no regrets, I have no regrets. I was just trying to build a man, and I did that. I was just trying to be very strong support of Sushant, and I did that."

Ankita also shared that she rejected Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani because she wanted to get married. The actor stated, "I remember Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) sir telling me ‘Kar le Bajirao Mastani, warna bohot pachtayegi.’ He was praising me, and Sanjay sir saying this is a very big thing. But, I was like, ‘Nahi sir, mujhe shaadi karni hai.’ He did not have anything to say then. I quitted on it."

Ankita Lokhande made her Bollywood debut with Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi starring Kangana Ranaut in the titular role.