Director Shakti Samanta's son Ashim Samanta recalled that actors Madhubala and Ashok Kumar initially agreed to work on the film 'Howrah Bridge' for a nominal fee of Re 1. Madhubala was reportedly so amused by her character that she accepted the role without hearing the full story. Ashim Samanta also mentioned that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had once deemed a scene where Madhubala's scarf touched Ashok Kumar's lips as 'very sexy' and cut it.