The film is an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novel, written and published as a serial story in the 1870s. There have been other adaptations of the same book, most famously a classic black and white version starring Greta Garbo.
There are quite a few real-life origins for Tolstoy's novel. Most importantly, the main story of a woman who throws herself under a train in grief when her lover deserts her, is based on a tragic event that Tolstoy heard about - you can see more details here.
As well as the main event, a lot of the ideas in the book are similar to Tolstoy's own. Especially, Levin, who decides that he prefers the simple life and that true wisdom is to be found in peasant culture, owes a lot to Tolstoy who did actually try to live a simple farming life. His early relationship with Kitty is also a bit like Tolstoy's courtship of his later wife, Sophia; and there are other ideas and events close to real life too.