Trivia

Shatrughan Sinha was narrated the film as a two hero film. When he realized the director was turning his character into a villains role, he stopped shooting for the film. He agreed to shoot for the film once what was narrated to him was shot. Shatrughan stated the director Balbir told him that since he played a villain role in Sharara he should be okay with his role in Santosh. Shatrughan went on to add that in Sharara he simply stood with the villains in a few shots. He was not a villain in the film. Balbir told the media that Shatrughan's role slightly negative in Santosh because his role believed in materialistic things,where as Manoj's character was a idealist.

The starcast gave bulk dates and began shooting the film in the late 70's. Then Manoj Kumar launched Kranti and he found it hard to concentrate on Santosh. Despite having bulk dates from the stars, the shooting kept coming to a halt due to Manoj shooting for Kranti. Manoj promised the director once Kranti was completed, he would finish Santosh in 9 months. Balbir Wadhawan waited. But Kranti took 3 years to complete. Balbir waited as the dates of all the stars went to waste. They went on to sign other films. Interest rates on the borrowed finance was mounting. Once Kranti released,Balbir once again attempted to start the film, but Hema Malini got pregnant. Balbir had to wait another year. Once she was ready to shoot the film, the films financer G.N. Shah died. Then national politics crept into the films making. The scheduled caste agitation in Gujarat posed a threat to the very subject of the film. Many of the producer's friends advised hum to edit out the "untouchable caste" portion. But he reasoned it wouldve ruined his entire script. But Balbir did not want to start his carerer in a wrong note. So he decided to rework on the script. That is when the film was launched with a new script. The film once again faced delay. Manoj Kumar fell very ill. Balbir once again had to wait to start his film. Then Manoj Kumar's parents expired and he needed more time off. Balbir had to wait once again. Then Madan Puri passed away and had to find a replacement and reshoot. Finally 11 years later the film hit screens in 1989.

James Brown song "Its Too Funky In Here " is played in a party scene.

Madan Puri's final posthumous film.

Manoj Kumar ghost directed the film. In a mill scene, Manoj insisted a villain smoke a cigarette inside the mill. A mill worker who was present pointed out to Manoj that this would look unreal as smoking was prohibited in the mill. Manoj told him the public did not pay attention to such things.