In the 1960s an actress created waves in the Bollywood industry. She turned heads and delivered several superhit films. Over her four-decade-long career this actress appeared in more than 1000 films. Famously known as the golden girl of Hindi cinema this iconic personality is none other than Helen. During the 60s Helen was celebrated for her blockbuster dance numbers and needless to say she brought an unparalleled oomph factor to every performance. However while her life appeared glamorous it was far from easy. Did you know that Helen had to flee her home at just three years old? Yes you read that right!

Helen was born in Burma (now Myanmar) to a half-Spanish half-Burmese mother named Marlene and a French father. Her mother worked as a British officer. Life took a tragic turn when Japanese troops invaded Burma forcing Helen and her family to flee their home. The family endured a harrowing nine-month-long journey on foot to reach Dibrugarh in Assam. The actress also survived World War II.

In a 1964 interview with Filmfare as quoted by Jerry Pinto in his book Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb the veteran actress recalled the traumatic incident. Helen shared how she and her family were forced to leave Burma as Japanese forces relentlessly bombed the area.

“Burma was being mercilessly bombed by the Japanese” she recalled. “My mother packed a few things and we went to the airport with my baby brother in my mother’s arms. That night the aerodrome was bombed. Frightened and nervous we returned home.”

Helen described how life in Burma had become unbearable for her family. Her stepfather whom she considered her father was a British officer who had already been killed. Left without security in the war-torn state Helen said “Mother and I had been virtually reduced to skeletons and my brother’s condition was critical. We spent two months in the hospital.”

In a television special with Nasreen Munni Kabir Helen shared a vivid and chilling memory of passing through a bombed area. She said “I can still remember a moment when in the middle of the night we were running out of the house and we passed a place where a bomb must have fallen. It was a shop and there was hair blood and [bits of] skull on the wall.”

Helen was among the top-paid actress in the industry.