Ben Kingsley was originally cast in the role of Mina's father, but he eventually withdrew from the project, prompting the original backers of the film to pull out. Nair was able to gain new funding after Denzel Washington was chosen for the role of Demetrius. She later mentioned she faced substantial pressure from potential backers to select white leads rather than Indians or African Americans
While doing research in Mississippi, Nair met a carpet cleaner named Demetrius and decided to model the main character after him (including using his business's slogan, "Your dirt is our bread and butter."
Demetrius's father, Williben, works as a server at a restaurant in their hometown of Greenwood, Mississippi. The location used to shoot the restaurant scenes was Lusco's, a real restaurant that has been a Greenwood institution since it was opened in 1933 by Italian immigrants. The restaurant's appearance is distinguished by its individual, curtained-off private dining booths, which are visible in the movie. The restaurant closed in 2021.
Included among the American Film Institute's 2002 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 top 100 America's Greatest Love Stories movies.