Priyanka Chopra |
Yes, I am Amitabh Bachchan |
Aishwarya Rai |
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Helen Richardson
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Bollywood dancer and actress of Anglo-Burmese origin, Helen Richardson Khan was born October 21, 1939 , and she is best remembered for playing as vamp or a dancer in Bollywood movies of the 1960s and 70s. She shot to fame with her glitzy dance sequences and cabaret numbers. The Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle has voiced many a sensuous and thumping songs for Helen. The flamboyance and grace with which she carried these songs, is remarkable. Born on October 21, 1939 in Burma to an Anglo-Burmese/Anglo-Indian father and Burmese mother, Helen has had a quite an eventful life full of success and controversy. She was helped by a family friend, an actress known as Cukoo, in finding jobs as a chorus dancer in the films Shabistan and Awaara (1951). Helen was soon to be seen regularly, and started featuring as a solo dancer in films like Alif Laila (1952) and Hoor-e-Arab (1953). Unable to support her family on her mother’s inadequate income as a nurse, Helen quit school to work in films. She soon discovered she had a flair for dancing, while going through training in Kathak. At that time family friend Cuckoo was the leading dancer in Hindi films of that era. Helen got a break as a chorus dancer in Shabistan(1951), when Cuckoo recommended her. Helen was young and still-in-her-early-teens. Her performance in the song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu" in O.P. Nayyar's hit film, Howrah Bridge in 1958, gave her first major hit song. The demand of this elusive
and seductive actress started growing by leaps and bounds and with her
numerous roles as a vamp or a cabaret dancer she came to be known as the
Cabaret Queen. She met with little success in her roles as a leading lady,
but the so called ‘item numbers’ kept her quite busy and in the limelight
for years to come.
Anthony Korner, and was narrated by Merchant Ivory. The plot of the film, which was made in a modest budget of $17,000, revolved around the most popular dancer in Bombay musical films -- and the documentary portrayed and presented Helen to the western world as the reigning undisputed star actress cum dancer of Bollywood. The documentary also included her famous typewriter dance scene from "Bombay Talkie" the critically acclaimed Merchant Ivory film. The resurgent career had taken a fresh new turn and she started getting offers. Later writer Salim Khan came to help her out with good roles in some of the movies he was co-scripting with Javed Akhtar: Imaam Dharam, Don, and Dostana. Then came a much demanding role in Mahesh Bhatt's film Lahu Ke Do Rang (1979), and she won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Salim Khan and Helen got
married in the months to follow. As his second wife Salim had a difficult
time with his sons who were not very happy and the tensions brewed for
some time, before his sons Bollywood actors Salman, Arbaaz, and Sohail
Khan matured and came to terms with it. Helen and Salim Khan have also
adopted a daughter named Arpita.
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Noted singer Hridaynath Mangeshkar, ghazal singer Penaz Masani, playback singer Udit Narayan also figure in this year's list.
They have been honoured with India's fourth highest civilian honour for their contribution in the field of art.
One of the most recognised faces of Indian cinema at the global level, Aishwarya started her career with Mani Ratnam's "Iruvar" and went on to act in films like "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", "Devdas", and "Guru". She has also collaborated with Hollywood directors for projects like "Bride and Prejudice", "The Last Legion", "Mistress of Spices" "Provoked" and soon to be released "Pink Panther-2".
Akshay is regarded one of the most successful stars these days after he acted in hit films like "Welcome" and "Singh is Kinng".
Helen, often referred
as India's 'cabaret queen' for her sensuous gyrations, was seen in recent
films like "Mohabattein" and "Marigold".