Helen

Nephew Lalit Aurora acted in Nasamajh (1986). He was former husband P.N. Arora's nephew.

She officially retired from movies in 1984.

Her last few films for which danced Cabaret were Sawaal in 1982 and Pakhandee in 1984. She was known for wearing different colors of wigs, contact lenses and skimpy outfits in her movies.

Married Salim Khan in 1981 and became his second wife. Helen met Salim Khan in 1962 on the sets of Kabli Khan (1963) where she was the heroine and he was the villain in the movie.

In 1979, she won the best supporting actress award for her role as Vinod Khanna's Chinese wife in 'Lahu Ke Do Rang'.

Starred in the shelved movie Fair Mount Pictures " Main Jaanti Hun"(1978) Starring Nazneen, Bindu,Helen, Sujit Kumar,Music Laxmikant -Pyarelal,Directed by Jan Mohammed.

Starred in the shelved movie Fun Seeker's "Gudda Guddi"(1976) Starring Pratap,Alka, A.K. Hangal,Helen, Mohan Choti, Music by Ravindra Jain, Directed by Pratap Purswani.

Three books were written on her dance career along with a documentary called 'Helen Queen of the Nautch girls' which was released in 1973 by Merchant Ivory Productions.

Helen acted with MGR (M.G.Ramachandran) in the two songs Naan Sollitara and Sila Kudipathu Pole from the 1972 film Sanghe Muzhangu starring Lakshmi with MGR. Helen also danced with Sivaji Ganeshan in 1958 film Uthamaputhiran for the song Yaarde Nee Mohini and later in 1962 film Sri Valli for the song Malai naattu kuravar nanga.

In the late 1970's, her demand started diminishing because of her age along with the entry of younger dancers like Padma Khanna, Jayshree T, Bindu, Aruna Irani and Kalpana Iyer.

In 1965, 1968 and 1971, she was nominated for the best supporting actress award but lost in all three of them. She eventually won this award in 1979 for Lahu Ke Do Rang.

Was the lead actress in Cha Cha Cha(1964). The film flopped and she began concentrating on dancing and playing supporting roles in films.

Helen sister Jennifer (Jenny) was first married to dancer /choreographer Oscar Unger. She acted in Aarti (1962).Later on Oscar married fellow dancer Teresa Nazreth. Jennifer later remarried to Narendra Lal Gupta, an Air Vice Marshal. They have a son and daughter. They divorced in 2005.

Throughout the 1960's, 1970's to 1985, she danced in more than 600 movies establishing herself as a prolific dancer. Her best performances are in films Pipili Saheb, Naya Aadmi, Halaku, Yahudi, Howrah Bridge, Uttamputhiran in Tamil, Bedard Zamana Kya Jane ,Sri Valli in Tamil, Hum Hindustani, Half Ticket, Hongkong, China Town, Woh Kaun Thi, Gumnaam, Kaajal, Jewel Theif, Yakeen, The Train, Caravan, Sange Muzhangu in Tamil, Zakhmee, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Ginny Aur Jhonny, Bairaag, Deewangee, Khel Khilari Ka, Inkaar, Don, Inteqaam, Kab Kyun Aur Kahan, Pagla Kahin Ka, Apradh, Mere Jeevan Saathi , Dil Daulat Duniya,Lahu Ke Do Rang, Shararat, Khamoshi, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

She got her break in 1958 when she performed the song 'Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo' in the movie Howrah Bridge. Helen rarely got roles as the lead heroine in movies. So, she opted dancing which proved to be her fortune.

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.

Helen was introduced to Bollywood in 1953 by the famous dancer Cuckoo.

The film Dil Daulat Duniya was remake of 1948 Hindi film Pugree starring Kamani Kaushal, which was produced by Prem Narayan Arora himself and he decided to direct the remake in 1972 with Rajesh Khanna and Sadhana in the lead. Helen played the role which Shashikala had essayed in the 1948 version. The film was huge hit.

Has a brother Roger Jairag and a stepsister Jennifer. She also had another brother Richard who died of smallpox in 1946.

Helen was born in Burma to an Anglo Indian father named George Desmier and a Burmese mother named Marlene. Her father went missing during the Second World War. Her family migrated to India in 1942 as refugees in order to escape from the Japanese invasion of Burma.

Helen's father George went missing in the 1940s. Her mother passed away on June 1982.