Shaheer Sheikh's innocence makes him the right fit for the role of Manav: Ankita Lokhande on 'Pavitra Rishta 2'

Ankita is set to reprise the role of Archana on 'Pavitra Rishta 2'

Actor Ankita Lonkhande, who will be seen opposite Shaheer Sheikh in Pavitra Rishta 2, says that the TV heartthrob's innocent looks make him the 'right fit' for the role of Manav. 'Archana' added that she enjoyed working with him as he is a 'great' human being.

" Whenever I saw his work, I felt that there is an innocent look in his eyes. In a way, this makes him the right fit for the character of Manav, Working with Shaheer was a wonderful experience as he is a great human being," she told DH during the show's trailer launch

Ankita, who hails from Indore, rose to fame with her work on the show Pavitra Rishta, which first aired on television in 2009 and soon attained a cult status. It revolved around the romantic journey of two simpletons Archana and Manav and was set in a Maharashtrian household. The show featured the late Sushant Singh Rajput as Manav and established him as a household name. The actor quit the show in 2011 to concentrate on his Bollywood career. 'Anni' was replaced by Hiten Tejwani, who too impressed fans with his performance. The show ended in 2014 with an emotional finale.

Pavitra Rishta 2, a follow-up to the popular show, has been directed by Nandita Mehra and is backed by 24 Frames Production. Ankita reprises the role of Archana while Shaheer plays her reel lover. Its trailer suggests that Pavitra Rishta 2 highlights what happens when two lovers a forced to break up following a misunderstanding. The story has apparently been tweaked to cater to the web audience. It remains to be seen whether the series lives up to expectations when it releases on Zee5 on September 15.

The series comes at a time when Ankita is going through a busy phase on the professional front. She made her Bollywood debut with Manikarnika, starring Kangana Ranaut, which garnered a fair deal of attention. The actor was also part of Tiger Shroff's Baaghi 3, directed by Ahmed Khan. The perception is that Pavitra Rishta 2 might help her add a new dimension to her career if it emerges as a success.