It is based on the short story "Yehi Sach Hai" by noted Hindi writer Mannu Bhandari.

The original story, Yahi Sach Hai (1960), written in diary format was by Mannu Bhandari, an important writer of the Nayi Kahani literary movement of Hindi literature in the 1960s.

While writing the screenplay, Basu Chatterjee transposed the story from Kanpur and Kolkata to Delhi and Mumbai in the film.

[4][2] Director Basu Chatterjee's original cast was Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore and Amitabh Bachchan.

Even classical dancer Mallika Sarabhai was to be cast as lead, but her final MBA exams clashed and eventually debutante Vidya Sinha got the role after she responded to one of the ads placed by Basu Chatterjee.

Palekar, a trained artist from the JJ School of art and a theater actor had at that time worked in two Marathi films including Shaantata Court Chaalu Aahe, by Satyadev Dubey and Govind Nihalani.

[5][8] The film's music director was Salil Chowdhury rendered commercially successful tracks and the songs were written by Yogesh.

Mukesh sang "Kai Baar Yuheen Dekha hai," for which he won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.