When Salman Khan's Stepmom Helen Was Thrown Out By Her First Husband - And Turned To A Don

A startling chapter from the life of iconic Bollywood dancer and actress Helen has surfaced. During the era when the Mumbai underworld held sway, Helen faced a personal crisis; her husband threw her out

of the house. The police and legal system offered no help, leaving Helen with only one option: seek aid from Mumbai’s most feared don, Karim Lala.

This incident is detailed by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria in his book When It All Began: The Untold Stories of the Underworld.

From Rangoon To Bollywood Stardom

Helen was born in Rangoon in 1938 and moved to Mumbai after fleeing Burma during the war. Struggling with poverty, she began working in films, landing her first break in 1958. She soon became a superstar, appearing in over 700 films, but her personal life remained turbulent.

She married filmmaker PN Arora, who was significantly older and gained control over her earnings and property.

As his career declined, he became dependent on Helen’s wealth and increasingly abusive. Eventually, he threw her out of the house she had bought with her own money. Homeless and distressed, Helen turned to her friends in the film industry for help, including famed writer Salim Khan, whom she married eventually, and legendary actor Dilip Kumar.

Seeking Help From Karim Lala

Dilip Kumar tried to contact the underworld don Karim Lala on Helen’s behalf. When he couldn’t reach him, he wrote a letter and gave it to Helen, urging her to meet Karim Lala directly. At that time, Karim Lala ruled Mumbai’s ‘Pathan Gang’, controlling gambling, extortion, and alcohol trades, yet he was renowned for protecting women.

When Helen arrived, the room fell silent. Karim Lala didn’t know much about her, but after reading Dilip Kumar’s letter, he grasped the gravity of her situation. He directed his men to escort her respectfully to his wife Fatima before personally speaking to Helen.

Justice Without Violence

Helen tearfully explained her plight. Understanding her truth, Karim Lala promised to restore her property. Two hours later, Helen returned home to find PN Arora had vacated the house entirely, leaving the keys with the guard.

Karim Lala’s fearsome reputation had ensured justice without a single act of violence.

Legacy Of A Parallel Government

Helen’s ordeal highlights the era when underworld dons effectively ran a parallel system of power in Mumbai. Karim Lala’s intervention demonstrates how influence and fear, rather than force, could resolve disputes.

Rakesh Maria’s book, launching in Mumbai on Friday, contains numerous untold stories of underworld figures like Haji Mastan and Dilip Aziz, revealing a hidden side of Mumbai’s past.

Helen’s story is a reminder that even the most glamorous celebrities often faced vulnerability and hardship off-screen.