In 1946, Kidar Sharma, one of the most successful and popular directors of those times, decided to make a film titled "Bichara Bhagwaan", based on the lives of untouchables and starring his wife Kamla Chatterjee and Jairaj in lead roles. However, Chatterjee died on the very day of the film's announcement, and Sharma went into deep mourning until he decided to restart the production of the film in late 1946. He replaced Jairaj by his assistant Raj Kapoor in a haste, and cast Madhubala, who was going to play a child role in the film, as the leading lady. When the financiers appeared to be apprehensive of Sharma casting two newcomers, he sold his own plot and produced the film, which was now titled "Neel Kamal".