Salim Khan was told Helen treats everyone like ‘furniture’ when he complained that she was acting snooty

In a chat with Arbaaz Khan on his new talk show, Helen spoke about her earliest encounters with her future husband Salim Khan.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | February 17, 2023 03:26 PM IST

3 min read

Salim Khan, Salman Khan, Salma Khan and Helen pose together.

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Actor Helen recalled her early life and career in an interview with her step-son, actor-producer Arbaaz Khan. Arbaaz is currently hosting a talk show on Bollywood Bubble, titled The Invincibles. After featuring his father Salim Khan as the guest in the previous episode, Arbaaz spoke to Helen, his wife, about their earliest encounters.

Helen is best known for her special dance numbers in old Bollywood movies, but she rose to prominence from the background. She also appeared in what she described as “Arabian dramas,” early in her career. It was around this time when she first encountered her future husband.

Also read | Helen on marriage with Salim Khan, says his first wife Salma Khan must have ‘gone through a lot’: ‘I never wanted separation from the family’

She said, “I was doing a film with Ajit saab, where I was the heroine. And the villain was Mr Salim Khan. This was way before Teesri Manzil.” Helen was probably referring to the 1963 film Kabli Khan. Asked if she even noticed Salim back then, Helen said with a smile, “It wasn’t like I was too big a star or anything like that, but I kept to myself. One day, he asked Ajit saab, ‘Yeh madam kissi ko dekhti bhi nahi, wish bhi nahi karti (This woman doesn’t acknowledge anybody around her).’ And Ajit said, ‘Poocho mat, yeh sab logon ko furniture ke jaise dekhti hain (Don’t ask, she treats everyone like furniture)’.”

Helen and Salim worked together again some years later, on the film Teesri Manzil. By then, she was already a huge star, while Salim was still a ‘struggling actor playing an insignificant role’. Asked if their equation had changed, she said, “He had a good supporting role, but his scene was shot when I wasn’t on set even. When I saw the song, I saw him there. He was looking very good.”

In the same interview, Helen also spoke about the complicated situation where she and Salim fell in love, when he was already married. Talking about his first wife Salma Khan, Helen said, “She must have gone through a lot and I think destiny brought me close to all of you… I never ever wanted a separation from the family.”

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