The makers of this film first had approached Jeetendra to play the triple role in this film, as Jeetendra was acting in many South films at that time, but he was very busy with other South films he told the makers to take Amitabh Bachchan for this film and Jeetendra called Amitabh Bachchan to request him to do Mahaan.
Famous Ramdas Padhye's doll was used in the film,The same doll was seen 10 years later in the Marathi film Zapatlela in which Laxmikanth Berde plays a Ventologist.
Raakhee Gulzar had been offered the role opposite the senior Bachchan role. When she found out that Hema and Zeenat, both her contemporaries, were acting opposite the two junior Bachchan roles, she backed out and another Amitabh favorite - Waheeda accepted the role. Hema then opted out due to her pregnancy and Parveen replaced her.
The VHS version released in the international market in 1983 (which was pirated from a movie theatre) had extra footage for a few scenes. For example after the song "Har Chori Rani Yahan" Amitabh stand's on stage in front of audience and some from the audience says "Apne aap ko Amitabh Bachchan samajh tha hain kya". Many scenes were also missing in the international VHS version. The whole scene of Amitabh (Guru) meeting Ashok Kumar for the first time was edited out for unknown reasons. The scene prior to "Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli" was edited to where Zeenat Aman says " chalega" in regards to accepting the comic Amitabh as her lover. She then declares her love for him and the song starts. The DVD version of Shemaroo had the proper scene prior to the song.
The films story line of a man on a run after being charged for murder and living in different name was similar to earlier films like Tumsa Nahi Dekha 1957,Sanam Teri Kasam 1982 and later on Zamane Se Kya Darna 1994.