Mumbai, July 21 (IANS): Actress Ankita Lokhande, who is known for her roles in ‘Pavitra Rishta', ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi', and ‘Bigg Boss 17', celebrated Guru Purnima with a heartfelt tribute to her mother.

On Sunday, the actress shared a picture on Instagram of herself with her mother, Vandana Phadnis Lokhande, whom she considers her first Guru.

In the picture, both Ankita and her mother are dressed in sarees; Ankita in red and her mother in beige, both accessorised with heavy jewellery.

In her caption, Ankita wrote: “Aai, this feels really special. On days when life feels heavy, I recall the sacrifices and challenges you faced to put a smile on my face. The way you guided me throughout and led my way has always made me stronger than ever. On this Guru Purnima, I have nothing but immense love for my first Guru, who made me who I am today.”

The actress further said: “Genuinely grateful from my heart for being the best Aai and Guru at the same time. Happy Guru Purnima.”

On the professional front, Ankita was recently seen in the biopic ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar', starring Randeep Hooda.

The actress played the role of Yamunabai Savarkar, the wife of politician and activist VD Savarkar.

The film marked Randeep’s directorial debut and featured his physical transformation for the role.

Despite these efforts, the film did not perform well at the box office.