Meanwhile, a mentally unstable woman named Sonia (Zinta) comes into his life and offers to help by donating to the hospital on the condition that Akash marries her.

Principal photography (handled by Ravi Varman) took place in India and Africa, and Shirish Kunder edited the film.

Although the film garnered mixed reviews, critics praised Irani's direction and the actors' performances, particularly those of Bachchan and Zinta.

With a broken heart, he agrees to marry Sonia to set up the hospital, thus fulfilling his father's final wish.

Neha understands his dilemma and agrees to break up with Akash, but because of her dedication and professionalism, she offers to continue working in the same hospital.

After the marriage, Sonia is revealed to be highly manipulative, consistently jealous and mistrustful, and obsessively controlling towards Akash.

Credits adapted from Box Office India:[4] In April 2002, the entertainment website Rediff.com reported that Honey Irani would make her debut as the director of a then-untitled film.

[13][14] In an interview with journalist Subhash K. Jha of Rediff.com, she confessed it was her dream to work with Bachchan—who immediately agreed after she had offered him the part[11]—adding it was modelled after his personality.

[19][20] Before it was offered to her, several actresses were asked to take the part, including Tabu, Rani Mukerji, and Aishwarya Rai.

[2] Ravi Varman worked as the cinematographer, while Yunnus Pathan and Kiran Khanna completed the production design.

[21] Bachchan, Udit Narayan, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Shankar Mahadevan, Alka Yagnik, Shaan, K. S. Chithra, Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, and Roop Kumar Rathod performed the vocals.

[25] Writing for the entertainment portal Bollywood Hungama, Joginder Tuteja called it "a class product" that "strikes a chord with everyone alike".

[28] Planet Bollywood's Rakesh Budhu added, "For Armaan, Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy have shown us why their talent is worth our attention and how they are different from other great composers, like A. R.

However, talking to journalist Suchitra Behal of The Hindu, Irani said she had low expectations for the film and spoke of her nervousness over its commercial performance.

[39] In his review, Komal Nahta noted the resemblance between the film and the 2002 television series Sanjivani, in which the main set is also a hospital.

He did, however, praise Bachchan as "faultless" and call Zinta "the peppy scene-stealer, achieving her manic mood swings dexterously".

[43] Screen's Deven Sharma described Armaan as "a truthful depiction of a professional's integrity to his calling and to himself, and despite the somewhat slow pace, manages to tug at your heart".

"[44] Ziya Us Salam of The Hindu observed of Hirani's direction: "Her ways have to be admired, her lines good enough to bear repetition, her sensitivity worthy of emulation.

He further praised Singh's "poised, pleasant" acting and Zinta for her "verve and vivacity" as a "blundering, scheming spoilt child who marries innocence with guile", hailing her performance as "just about perfect".

The reviewer praised Irani for having "brought out some of the best moments in Amitabh Bachchan's and Anil Kapoor's career", and took note of Zinta's screen presence, commending her for proving "she is one among those actresses who can combine good looks with histrionics".

[46] Jitesh Pillai of The Times of India was ambivalent about Armaan; he criticised its "crippling pace", but appreciated the credibility of the script, the cinematography, and the actors, calling Bachchan "brilliant", Kapoor "first-rate" and commending Singh for bringing dignity to her underdeveloped role and Zinta for adding "vim, vigour and sparkles with comic timing" to her part.

[51] Derek Elley of Variety declared Bachchan the film's headline, but believed his performance was largely overshadowed by the other leads, adding, "Bollywood watchers should keep an eye out for this well-scripted item."

"[53] In a review in Stardust magazine, the editor Ram Kamal Mukherjee felt the entire film was "predictable and boring at times", attributing this to the screenplay and Irani's direction.