Helen | Statesmen

“Hello mister how do u do ?” , asked ‘Chin chin chuu’ to Ashok kumar & a H-bomb exploded. A new era of Indian Cinema had begun which continues till date. Helen’s sensuous dance exuded an aura of class that put her in a league of her own, and there has not yet been anyone like her. The top leading heroines even crave to dance like her and chance to perform on her songs.

Helen with her unusual looks— trim figure, blond hair, eyes that sparkled like fiery emeralds and fair skin looked just like Cinderella and her story is similar too. She walked to India from Burma to Assam one winter in the early 1940s with her mother and brother to escape mishaps of World War II. An impoverished childhood & her mother’s cane made her to quit school and practice dance for long hours when other girls played with toys. This is the reason that with inimitable ease she executed flamenco to belly-dancing to kathak. On screen there was joyousness in her dance, she could create the ultimate male fantasy, but no one knew she was dancing her troubles away. Although her dance numbers were chiefly about men’s pleasure but she took care to wear skin-colored body stockings in most of her cabarets even when she donned daring outfits.

But no one comes to Bollywood to become an extra, but her looks proved to be a major obstacle when she tried to make it as a heroine. Yet during her 25 years and 3 generations reign in bollywood as a “Cabaret Queen” she also acted with all leading actors of her time. She won Filmfare best supporting actress award in 1979. Bollywood allows fame only for few years and with age Helen started losing work. Salim khan came to her rescue and she married him and retired. Her occasional appearences in movies like Khamoshi, Hum Dil de chuke sanam, Mohabbatein & Marigold have always been a treat to movie fans.

Helen’s contribution to Indian cinema have been acknowledged by a 30-minute documentary film, “Helen, Queen of the Nautch Girls" from Merchant Ivory Films. A book about Helen was published by Jerry Pinto in 2006, titled “The Life and Times of an H-Bomb” . She was awarded Filmfare Lifetime Achievement award in 1998 & Padamshri by Indian Government in 2009.

A new phenomenon occurred to Indian cinema in form of “the Golden Girl – Helen”. She is truly “the original Item Girl” !!

Written By Neha Jain