Bollywood Icon Helen Credits Don Karim Lala for Restoring Her Home

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New Delhi - Before becoming one of Bollywood's most revered dancers, actress Helen faced a personal crisis when her ex-husband, filmmaker PN Arora, evicted her from her own home. In a remarkable display of courage, she turned to the Mumbai underworld for help, specifically don Karim Lala, a name synonymous with power and respect in the city's crime circles. According to a new book, "When It All Began: The Untold Stories of the Underworld," written by former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria, Lala intervened to help Helen reclaim her house. The book delves into the rise and fall of Mumbai's underworld, including the stories of first-generation dons like Karim Lala, Haji Mastan, and Dilip Aziz. Helen, now 87, was born in Rangoon in 1938 and arrived in Bombay after fleeing wartime Burma. Financial struggles led her to the film industry, where she quickly established herself as a prolific performer, with over 700 roles to her credit. However, behind the glamorous screen persona, Helen was a vulnerable young woman who had entrusted her finances and properties to her much older husband, Arora. As the book recounts, Arora's behavior towards Helen grew increasingly abusive, and he refused to give her the property that was rightfully hers. Desperate, Helen sought help from friends within the industry, including Dilip Kumar and Salim Khan. When they approached Lala for assistance, he agreed to help, and his intervention proved decisive. Lala, born Abdul Karim Sher Khan in Afghanistan, rose from humble beginnings to become one of Bombay's most feared crime bosses. As head of the notorious 'Pathan Gang,' he controlled various rackets, including liquor, gambling, and extortion. Despite his reputation, Lala was known for his respect for women and his personal code of conduct. The book reveals that when Lala received Helen's plea for help, he was moved by her situation and promised to help her regain her home. What followed was a surprising turn of events, as Arora abandoned the house, leaving Helen's belongings behind. Lala's intervention had worked, and Helen was finally able to reclaim her property. Karim Lala's legacy as a crime boss came to an end in 2002, marking the close of an era in Mumbai's crime history. The book, "When It All Began," is set to be officially launched in Mumbai on Friday and is published by Penguin Random House India.