Anil Mehta, Manish Malhotra, and Sharmishta Roy were the cinematographer, costume designer and art director, respectively.

The soundtrack was released on 27 September 2003 to positive reviews; the title song, "It's The Time To Disco", "Kuch To Hua Hai", and "Pretty Woman" were particularly well-received.

Naina has two best friends: her classmate, Rohit Patel, a Gujarati American, and Jaspreet "Sweetu" Kapoor, Jazz's sister.

Her life is dull and overshadowed by the loss of her father until Aman Mathur and his mother move in next door with his uncle, Pritam Chaddha.

[26][27] Salman Khan, who is not related to Shah Rukh or Saif, and Kareena Kapoor were initially offered the roles of Rohit and Naina.

[30] After Advani told her he would make the film in the style of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar, both of whom were Bachchan's favourite directors, she changed her mind immediately, accepting the part.

[31] Vogue India fashion director Anaita Shroff Adajania made a cameo appearance as Geeta Parekh, Naina and Rohit's fellow MBA candidate.

[35] Zinta said in an interview with Subhash K. Jha that she preferred "a very 'preppy' look", similar to Ali MacGraw's in Love Story (1970), and wore glasses to indicate Naina's initially serious nature.

[36][37] Johar wanted Bachchan to wear jeans, believing that "it would be nice" for the audience "to see her in something unusual" and "break new ground" giving her a "fresh" look.

[19][39] Johar went to New York City while he worked on the film's script and stayed at least one-and-a-half months[a] studying the people, their culture, how they commute and the lifestyle of Americans and the non-resident Indians (NRI) there.

He had never been to New York City before, and used the films of Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron to learn about life there.

[23][42] Scenes with Saif Ali Khan and Zinta, including the song, "Kuch To Hua Hai", were shot in Toronto over an eight-day period in March–April 2003.

[14][42][43] Johar said in an interview with Subhash K. Jha that he tried to complete the film in Toronto thinking it would be a good substitute for New York City and avoid budget problems.

[23][44] Advani and Mehta wanted to capture the city's change of seasons from winter to summer to highlight the transformation of Naina's personality,[19][21] but were unable to do so due to Shah Rukh Khan's illness.

In Salaam Namaste, central characters Nick and Ambar's (Saif Ali Khan and Zinta) professional careers come first and they are fearful of commitment.

[55][56][57] Despite accepting Aman and Anand's similar personalities, Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day felt that the film had more in common with Farhan Akhtar's directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai (2001), "in its look and lingos".

[60][61] Each felt it shared common aspects with other films starring Khanna: 1970s Safar, where terminal illness is also a central motif,[58][60][61] and Bawarchi (1972), in which the protagonist mends relationships between families and friends.

[66] The album was released by Sony Music India on 27 September 2003, with a physical launch event followed two days later at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai.

[67][68] The album had positive reviews and the title song, "It's the Time To Disco", "Kuch To Hua Hai" and "Pretty Woman" became popular.

[74] The film's script was added to the Margaret Herrick Library, the main repository of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, later that month.

[77] Film critic and author Anupama Chopra praised Advani's direction, noting in her India Today review that he "emerges as a distinctive voice".

"[55] Komal Nahta praised the film's direction, screenplay and lead performances—particularly Shah Rukh Khan, calling his character Aman "one of the best roles of his career.

"[59] Jitesh Pillai described Johar's screenplay as "endearing", writing that it "pinwheels with abandon from the bachelor with a heart of gold to the obdurate female lead."

Although Shah Rukh Khan "does the same thing over and over again", he performs his role "with such panache that all you can do is sit back and wait for that master artiste to unfold his magic again.

"[57] According to Archana Vohra of NDTV, Advani "seems to have come up with an innovative way to present a done-to-death plot" and added: "Irrespective of the frills, fancy clothes and well-dressed stars, the film does strike a chord".

Vohra, finding Bachchan "extremely well cast" as Jennifer and Saif Ali Khan's screen presence "electrifying", criticised Shah Rukh Khan for "playing the same kind of roles" as he did in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., but he "isn't too bad.

"[84] Writing for Variety, Derek Elley called the film a "slam-dunk" effort from Johar, with "a lightness of touch that sets it apart from the previous hits."

[85] Manish Gajjar of the BBC found the script "fresh and appealing", and that Advani proves "he has the natural ability to handle both the lighter and serious moments in the film."

[86] David Parkinson of Radio Times wrote that the film "retains a distinctive Bollywood flavour", despite being inspired by "Hollywood romantic comedies".

[87] Jami Bernard of the New York Daily News wrote, "Bollywood musicals, those big, loud, colorful extravaganzas from India, are an acquired taste and much of Kal Ho Naa Ho doesn't translate easily"; despite this mixed review, Bernard noted that the lead cast's characters "grow on you.