Salim Khan, the legendary screenwriter, married Helen while he was already married to Salma Khan (Sushila Charak) and had four children: Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan, and Alvira Khan. This marriage created quite a stir in the film industry at the time. Today, however, the entire family shares a close bond. Helen enjoys a warm relationship with Salma and receives immense respect from all of Salim Khan's children, who treat her like a mother.
Helen's Early Days with Salim Khan
In a candid chat with Arbaaz Khan on the show The Invincibles, Helen spoke about the early phase of her relationship with Salim Khan. She revealed how she would go out of her way to avoid being seen by Salma out of respect. Helen recalled, "In the beginning, what I used to do, you know, when I used to pass Bandstand, and I would know sometimes Mummy [Salma] is standing in the balcony, I would duck right down so she would not see me and think that the car would be empty near your house. I used to keep her respect so much."
How Their Relationship Blossomed
Helen and Salim Khan first crossed paths in 1963 on the sets of Kabli Khan, where Helen played the lead and Salim appeared as a villain. At the time, she did not pay much attention to him. It was only years later, in 1966, while watching Teesri Manzil, that she noticed him. Their professional collaborations gradually turned into a deeper connection. Helen reflected on how her bond with Salim grew after he offered her a role in a film. She spoke warmly about Salma, acknowledging the emotional difficulty of the situation and emphasizing that she never wanted to disrupt the family. She said, "He (Salim) gave me a role in a film. We became friends, Mummy was very nice; it must have been tough for your mom, she must have gone through a lot at that time. I think destiny brought me close to all of you, and I must thank all of you. I never ever wanted a separation from the family for Salim."
Salim Khan's Perspective
In an earlier interview with Pinkvilla, Salim Khan admitted that he could not pinpoint when his feelings for Helen developed. He said, "I won't be able to say when exactly I fell in love with her or decided to marry her. After seeing her for quite a long time we decided to honour our relationship. We got married in 1980." At a time when Salim was still establishing himself in the industry, Helen was already a star. Despite their relationship being labelled as an affair, they chose to give it a name and have been together ever since.
