Renowned actor Amitabh Bachchan recently shared a fascinating anecdote about the veteran actress Helen, highlighting her extraordinary journey during World War 2. Born in Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar), Helen and her family made a perilous trek to Dibrugarh, Assam, in 1943 to escape the Japanese occupation of Burma.
Helen rose to fame at the age of 19 in 1958, captivating audiences with her performance in the song 'Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu' from the movie ‘Howrah Bridge’. Collaborating with legendary actor Shammi Kapoor, she delivered iconic dance numbers like 'Suku Suku' in 'Junglee', 'Yamma Yamma' in 'China Town', and 'O Haseena Zulfonwali' in 'Teesri Manzil'.
During a recent episode of the quiz-based reality show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 15’, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, an interesting question about Helen's origin was posed to a contestant. The contestant, Lalit Kumar, hesitated and eventually opted to quit the show, taking home Rs 12,50,000. Amitabh shared insights into Helen's remarkable journey, emphasizing how she and her family traversed through challenging terrain, including rivers, mountains, and forests, to escape the Japanese occupation of Burma in 1943.
Reflecting on their collaborations in movies like ‘Mohabbatein’, ‘Don’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, ‘The Great Gambler’, and ‘Ram Balram’, Amitabh praised Helen's kindness and compassion. He recalled her special appearance in the track ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ in the movie ‘Sholay’ and expressed gratitude for having had the opportunity to work with her. Amitabh concluded by wishing Helen continued good health, acknowledging her enduring impact on the film industry.
(With Agency Inputs)
