As Helen turns 81, let us walk through her journey before Bollywood happened

Helen Anne Richardson Khan, more popularly kwn just by her first name Helen, was once most sought-after dancers in all of Bollywood in golden era. She was also a critically acclaimed actor during her prime and was awarded a Padma Shri Award by Government of India for her work in entertainment industry. She is also often cited as most popular nautch dancer (A traditional Indian dance style) of her era. Helen was born on vember 21, 1938. On her 80th birthday, we  look back at struggles that Helen went through before she became Bollywood's first item dancer.

She was born in Burma

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While being of Indian origin, Helen was born in city of Rangoon, one of biggest and most populated cities of Myanmar (Bruma). She was born to a Burmese mor and an Anglo-Indian far named George Desmier. She also had two siblings, a bror named Roger and a sister, Jennifer. Her far passed away when she was young and her mor n remarried to a British man. 

However, at onset of World War 2, her adoptive far also passed away. As Japanese Army launched ir invasion of Burma, Helen's family decided to move to India to avoid Japanese occupation Government. In 1943, family began ir arduous trek to city of Bombay. In an interview with Filmfare in 1964, Helen revealed hardships and dangers that she and her family faced during trip.

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She said that y had to pass through wilderness and hundreds of vills. y also had to rely on kindness of strangers and villrs as y were penniless, had food, and only carried a few clos. actor said that ir group would occasionally be aided by British army, who would provide transport, food, refuge and also would help m treat blisters on ir feet. By time Helen's family and rest of group reached Dibrugarh in Assam, many people had been left behind due to disease and several ors had died due to same. 

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Helen also revealed that her mor had a miscarri during journey. She also said that she and her mor had been reduced to skin and bones and her bor's health was critical at that point. Many of survivors were admitted into Dibrugarh hospital for treatment and both Helen and her mor spent two months in hospital. y n moved to Calcutta, however, Helen's bror passed away  after he was diagsed with smallpox.

Helen finally got her first break as a dancer in Bollywood, in 1951 film Awara. That was thanks to her friend Cukoo, who was also a backup dancer in industry. After that, she rose to popularity thanks to her dancing skills and became Bollywood icon that she is today. 

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