Helen Ann Richardson Khan, known mononymously as Helen, is an Indian actress and dancer who has appeared in over 750 films in Hindi cinema. Born on November 21, 1938, in Rangoon, Burma, she became one of the most iconic nautch and cabaret dancers in Bollywood history. Helen received the Padma Shri in 2009 and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 for her contributions to Indian cinema.
Helen Actress Early Life
Helen Ann Richardson was born on November 21, 1938, in Rangoon, Burma (present-day Yangon, Myanmar), to an Anglo-Indian father named George Desmier and a Burmese mother named Marlene. She has a brother named Roger and a sister named Jennifer. Their father died during World War II.
The family fled Burma in 1943 to escape the Japanese occupation during World War II. They trekked through wilderness and hundreds of villages, surviving on the generosity of people as they were penniless with no food and few clothes. By the time they reached Dibrugarh in Assam, their group had been reduced to half, with some members dying of starvation and disease.
Helen’s mother miscarried during the journey, and her brother later died of smallpox after they moved to Calcutta. The family spent two months in hospital in Dibrugarh recovering from their ordeal. Helen quit her schooling to support her family because her mother’s salary as a nurse was not enough to feed the family of four.
Helen Actress Career Beginnings
Helen was introduced to Bollywood in the early 1950s when a family friend, an actress known as Cuckoo, helped her find jobs as a group dancer. Her first appearances were as a background dancer in the films Shabistan (1951) and Awaara (1951). She was soon working regularly and was featured as a solo dancer in films such as Alif Laila (1954) and Hoor-e-Arab (1955).
Helen got her major break in 1958 at age 19 when she performed the song “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” in Shakti Samanta’s film Howrah Bridge, which was sung by Geeta Dutt. After that performance, offers started pouring in throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Career Peak and Notable Performances
During her initial career, Geeta Dutt and later Asha Bhosle frequently sang playback songs for Helen’s dance performances. Helen was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1965 for her role as Kitty Kelly in Gumnaam. She performed many hit dance numbers with actor Shammi Kapoor, including “Suku Suku” in Junglee, “Yamma Yamma” in China Town, and “O Haseena Zulfonwali” in Teesri Manzil (1966).
Helen also played dramatic roles in films like China Town and Sachaai (1969) starring Shammi Kapoor, which were successful at the box office. She played a sensitive character in the film Chhote Sarkar (1974) starring Shammi Kapoor and Sadhana. Helen performed onstage in London, Paris, and Hong Kong during her career.
Helen Actress Awards and Recognition
In 1973, Helen, Queen of the Nautch Girls, a 30-minute documentary film from Merchant Ivory Films directed by Anthony Korner, was released. Writer Salim Khan helped her secure roles in films he was co-scripting with Javed Akhtar, including Immaan Dharam, Don, Dostana, and Sholay. Helen won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Mahesh Bhatt’s film Lahu Ke Do Rang (1979).
A book about Helen titled The Life and Times of an H-Bomb by Jerry Pinto was published in 2006 and won the National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema in 2007. In 1999, Helen was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. Helen was selected for the Padma Shri awards in 2009 along with Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar.
Helen Actress Later Career
Helen officially retired from movies in 1983, but she appeared in a few guest roles afterward. Her later appearances included Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Mohabbatein (2000). She made a special appearance as the mother of her real-life stepson Salman Khan’s character in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999).
She also appeared in Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006). In 2009, Helen appeared as a judge in the semifinals and finals of India’s Dancing Queen television series. Her career in Indian cinema spanned approximately 70 years.
Helen Actress Age
Helen is 87 years old as of February 2026. She was born on November 21, 1938.
Helen Actress Personal Life and Marriages
Helen’s first marriage was in 1957 to film director Prem Narayan Arora of Dil Daulat Duniya fame, who was 27 years older than her. She divorced him in 1974. In 1981, Helen married Salim Khan, a prominent Bollywood screenplay writer.
Salim Khan was already married to Salma Khan and was the father of four children when he married Helen. Helen joined the Khan family and had a large role, along with Salim and his first wife Salma, in keeping the family united. All of Helen’s stepchildren, including actors Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, and Sohail Khan, have bonded closely with her.
Helen is almost invariably accompanied in public appearances by Salma Khan, Salim’s first wife. She has adopted a daughter named Arpita Khan.
Helen Actress Religion
Helen is a Christian. She has maintained her Christian faith throughout her life and career in the Indian film industry.
Filmography Highlights
Helen appeared in over 750 films during her career, making her one of the most prolific performers in Hindi cinema. Some of her notable films include Howrah Bridge (1958), Gumnaam (1965), Teesri Manzil (1966), Jewel Thief (1967), Sholay (1975), Don (1978), and Lahu Ke Do Rang (1979). She also worked in regional cinema, appearing in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Bhojpuri, and Punjabi films.
Her dance performances became cultural phenomena in Indian cinema, with songs like “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” and “O Haseena Zulfonwali” remaining iconic decades after their release. Helen’s unique dancing style and screen presence influenced generations of performers in Indian cinema.