Happy Birthday Helen!: Unknown Facts About The Dancing Diva

Helen arrived in India along with her family in 1943 during WW II. She started out as a chorus dancer in the early 1950s, and made her breakthrough as a solo dancer in Howrah Bridge (1958). Till the late ’80s, Helen was a key element of all kinds of films across languages and genres, appearing either in solo dance numbers or a vamp. Here are ten of her most memorable songs. Her item dance had made fans go crazy, some of her songs are very famous even today like ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’, ‘Is Duniya Mai Jeena’ , ‘O Haseena Jhulfon Wali’, ‘Ae Nauzawan’, ‘Haye Mere Pass’ and many more.

Here are some of her unknown facts –

1. Helen’s full name was Helen Ann Richardson, born in Rangoon to an Anglo Indian father and Burmese mother.

2. Helen has no comparison in dance but her cat-like eyes and the wide smile was the center of attraction and also added some more charms to her acts. She was considered as item girl in 60’s.

3. In 1957, Helen married Bollywood director P.N Arora. She ended their relationship after 18 years. In 1974 they divorced as she found he was spending her money without her consent. During her marital life she became bankrupt and her apartment was seized.

4. In 1962, Helen met Salim Khan on the sets of ‘Kabli Khan’. She was the lead actress and Salim was in a negative role. They both of them got attracted and fell in love. They married in 1981.

5. Salim was already married to Sushila Charak and had three sons, who are today’s superstar – Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan. The sons were not happy with Salim’s second marriage. The couple had to face difficult time but after some time the tensions subdued. Helen and Salim Khan adopted a daughter named Arpita.

6. Helen and Salim Khan were also seen together in the movie ‘Teesri Manzil’. The song ‘O Haseena Zulfonwali’ was a blockbuster.

7. In 1973, Merchant Ivory Productions made 30-minute documentary on her dance career called ‘Helen Queen of the Nautch Girls’.