Helen (Actress) Age, Affairs, Husband, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Helen

• Does Helen smoke?: No

• It is unknown if Helen consumes alcohol.

• Helen’s father was of Anglo-Indian descent, while her mother was Burmese.

• In 1943, her family moved to Mumbai following the passing of her father during World War II.

• She made the decision to leave her education behind in order to assist her family during their financial crisis.

• At first, she acquired proficiency in Manipuri dance style, then went on to study Bharat Natyam and Kathak under the guidance of P. L. Raj.

• In Bollywood films, cabaret dance or item dance was introduced by her.

• In 1951, she embarked on her journey as a dancer in the chorus of Shabista, thanks to the assistance of a family friend. After dedicating a few years to being a chorus girl, she finally achieved her breakthrough in the film Alif Laila (1953) as a solo dancer.

• In the film Howrah Bridge (1958), she rose to fame as a dancing sensation with the song Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu.

• Because of her immense fame during the 1960s and 1970s, she frequently earned the nickname ‘H-Bomb’.

• In 1960, she made her debut as a non-dancer in the film “Hum Hindustani”.

• Merchant Ivory Productions released three books and a 30-minute documentary titled “Helen Queen of the Nautch Girls” in 1973.

• In the beginning, she was wedded to Bollywood director P.N Arora, who happened to be 27 years her senior. However, she ended the marriage in 1974 due to his habit of spending her money without her permission. As a consequence, she faced financial ruin and had her apartment confiscated.

• In 1962, on the sets of the film Kabli Khan, she encountered Salim Khan. Then, in 1981, after a span of 19 years, she became his second wife.