This actress survived World War II, and walked miles through the forest to come to India. She lost her father during the war.
Veteran Bollywood star Helen Ann Richardson Khan, renowned for her charm, beauty, style, and acting in the 70s, was one of the most popular actresses of her time.
But do you know that he had survived World War II, and walked miles through forest to come to India? She even lost her father dring the war.
1. Survived World War II, was a refugee in India
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Helen, born on November 21, 1938, in Rangoon, Burma, to an Anglo-Indian father and a Burmese mother, was a refugee in India. She survived World War II by escaping Japan and traveling through forests to reach India, enduring severe starvation and extreme hardship.
2. Father died during World War II
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Her father died during World War II. In one of the interviews, Helen said, “we trekked alternately through wilderness and hundreds of villages, surviving on the generosity of people, for we were penniless, with no food and few clothes."
3. British soldiers helped her family
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She added, "Occasionally, we met British soldiers who provided us with transport, found us refuge and treated our blistered feet and bruised bodies, and fed us. By the time we reached Dibrugarh in Assam, our group had been reduced to half. Some had fallen ill and been left behind, some had died of starvation and disease.”
4. Brother died due to smallpox
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She added, “my mother miscarried along the way. The survivors were admitted to the Dibrugarh Hospital for treatment. Mother and I had been virtually reduced to skeletons and my brother's condition was critical. We spent two months in hospital. When we recovered, we moved to Calcutta, and sadly my brother died there due to smallpox.”
5. Became actress
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Helen left school to support her family after her mother’s nursing salary was insufficient for their needs. A family friend, actress Cuckoo, introduced her to Bollywood, leading to roles as a group dancer in Shabistan (1951) and Awaara (1951).
Her big break came in 1958 at age 19 with the song Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu from Shakti Samanta's Howrah Bridge, sung by Geeta Dutt.
