Helen shares Salim Khan’s health update while accepting Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award on his behalf

Helen shared that Salim Khan is in good health after he was admitted to hospital in February this year.

Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan was honoured with the prestigious Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award at the 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards ceremony in Mumbai on Wednesday.

'He says thank you very much'

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presents the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025 to Helen Ann Richardson Khan at the 62nd Marathi Cinema Awards. (ANI Photo) (Sandip Mahankal)

On his behalf, the award was received by his wife and veteran actor Helen, who expressed immense gratitude for the recognition and the audiences’ love.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Helen shared, “I am grateful for this award for Salim sahab. He says thank you very much to all you lovely people who have been trailing him and following him, and he thanks you. All his films are my favourite. His health is very good. He is a very strong man, and he sends his good wishes to all of you, to entire Maharashtra and India too."

Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, who was also present at the awards ceremony, shared details about the honourees.

On the other hand, actor Rani Mukerji was honoured with the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the award to Rani at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Prabhadevi.

The actor spoke about receiving an award named after Raj Kapoor and said the recognition from her own people made the moment more special. “I think that’s what makes this moment truly special for me since I’m receiving this recognition from my very own people and from the place I belong to. To receive an award named after the legend of Indian cinema Raj Kapoor ji is, in itself, hugely humbling. And I truly hope I can live up to this honour,” she said, as per a release.

Rani dedicated the award to Maharashtra and the people working in its film industry. “So, with the deepest gratitude, I dedicate this award to Maharashtra. To its people. To its artists. To its technicians. To its filmmakers. To the entire film fraternity that calls this beautiful state home. And to the generations of storytellers who came before us and made it possible for a girl like me to dream.”