When the film was launched the star cast was : Sunil Dutt,Dharmendra,Amitabh Bachchan,Sanjeev Kumar,Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini,Praveen Babi. Dharmendra walked out of the film with Hema Malini due to some issues with Ramesh Sippy. Shashi Kapoor and Bindya Goswami replaced them. Sanjeev Kumar was signed for the villain's role but opted out due to his first heart attack. Kulbhushan was signed to replace him. Vinod Khanna was next to leave. He was leaving to join Rajneesh and no longer wanted to do films. He was replaced by Shatrughan Sinha.
The movie raised many eyebrows when a mammoth set was erected at Filmcity in Goregaon. A glass and mirror set, the set cost as much as Rs. 8 lakhs which was mammoth in the context of that era.
Shakaal's island was actually, Steep Holm, a English Island laying in the Bristol Channel.
Ramesh Sippy re-released the film in April 2005 to mark 25 years of the film with a digital print.
The bald look of Shakaal had become quite popular and many young stars would opt for the look.