Jackie Shroff was to play the lead role, if Amitabh Bachchan hadn't quit politics and come back to films. Jackie's costumes for the film had already been ordered, and he had begun preparing for the role.
The movie was scheduled to release on 12 February 1988, but because fans of Amitabh Bachchan could not wait his comeback, the movie was released a day early.
Dimple Kapadia was initially offered the role of Meenakshi Sheshadri She accepted the film and took the signing amount. Later Tinnu decided to drop her from the film and demanded she return the signing amount. Dimple refused because she was not the one leaving the film. It was Tinnu who was replacing her. Several Interviews between the them was published where they bashed each other. Then Tinnu promised Dimple if she returned the signing amount he would announce two films with her the next day. Dimple really wanted to work with Amitabh at the time and agreed. But deep down she felt terrible for agreeing to the deal. She felt the issue was not about money, but principle. The film Mahakaal and Alishan were announced with Amitabh and Dimple and both were shelved.
Tinnu Anand and Amitabh Bachchan fought whilst shooting as Amitabh wanted to wear a blazer in a very important scene and the director wanted him to wear his police uniform. Amitabh refused and did not come out of his room. When the director went into Amitabh's room after two hours, Amitabh had still not changed and said he wanted to speak to Tinnu's father. At first, Inder Raj Anand supported Amitabh. But when he realized that Tinnu was right, Inder told Amitabh: "Amit, do you see this dustbin? It has three ragged cloth pieces of saffron, white and green. If you stitch those rags together, it becomes your national flag for which you can give or take a life. In the same way, a uniform is important to a policeman as behind it is the might of the nation." Amitabh agreed to Inder Raj Anand and shot the scene with the police uniform.