Shakti Samanta stated ": I knew I wanted Ashok Kumar and Madhubala for this film. I called Dadamoni as soon as I got out of hospital. We'd already made a couple of films together and he was easily wooed. But I didn't know Madubala at all and requested Dadamoni to intercede with her father on my behalf. Soon after, one day,I dropped by on her set and fixed up a meeting for a story narration. Fortunately, the kahaani appealed to her too. And Howrah Bridge was made. The film is remembered even today for that sensuous club number picturised on Madhubala, 'Aaiye meherbaan...'. At the time she was dividing her time between my film. that was being shot here at Natraj then called Modern Studio and Mohan Studio where K Asif was filming Mughal-E-Azam. Even as she swayed to 'Aaye meherbaan...' in a short dress she would be doing a 'Pyar kiya to darna kya...' at Badshah Akbar's court later in the day."
