Farah Khan recalls why she stood in a corner ‘crying’ when Helen came on Mohabbatein sets to rehearse for song

Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan said that veteran actor Helen was her ‘childhood idol’. Farah recently recalled an incident when Helen featured in a dance number for the 2000 film Mohabbatein. The choreographer said that she had asked choreographer Geeta Kapoor to teach Helen the routine. Farah said that she welled up as she got the opportunity to work with Helen. (Also Read | Salman Khan aata tha 2-3 ghante ke liye: Farah Khan reveals his duplicate shot half of Sajan Ji Ghar Aaye in KKHH)

Helen in Mohabbatein

Helen featured in the song Aankhein Khuli from Mohabbatein (2000). The song ended with an instrumental of O Haseena Zulfon Wali, originally featured on Helen, from Teesri Manzil (1966). In the Aankhein Khuli dance sequence, Shah Rukh Khan grooved with Helen.

Farah on Helen

As quoted by news agency ANI, Farah said, “When I was a young child, between the ages of five and six, I used to climb on the table of my house and dance to Helen’s songs, even when someone would come to my house, my parents would ask me to show them my dance to Helen’s songs.”

Farah also recalled an incident while shooting with Helen on the sets of Mohabbatein. She said, “I remember when we were filming Mohabbatein and Helen Ji was coming in to do a dance number and I asked for Geeta to teach her the routine, they were all rehearsing and I was standing in a corner and crying because I got the opportunity to work with my childhood idol.”

More about Mohabbatein

Mohabbatein is a musical romantic drama film written and directed by Aditya Chopra and produced by Yash Chopra of Yash Raj Films. The film stars Helen, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Uday Chopra, Shamita Shetty, Jugal Hansraj, Kim Sharma, Jimmy Sheirgill, and Preeti Jhangiani.

Helen’s journey in Bollywood

Helen was introduced to Bollywood in 1953 by the famous dancer Cuckoo. She got her break in 1958 when she performed the song Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo in Howrah Bridge. She was married to director Prem Narayan Arora from 1957 to 1972. She divorced him and later married screenwriter Salim Khan in 1981.

Farah on India’s Best Dancer

Farah appeared as a celebrity guest on the dance reality show India’s Best Dancer 3. She was left awestruck with the performance of the duo Shivam Wankhede and Sonali Kar on the timeless classics, O Haseena Zulfonwale Jane Jahan from the movie Teesri Manzil.

Praising their dance moves, Farah added that if ‘Helen Aunty and Shammi ji saw you today, they would tell you two have a long way to go’. India’s Best Dancer 3 judged by Terence Lewis, Geeta Kapoor, and Sonali Bendre airs on Sony Entertainment Television.