The movie won the Golden Lion, the highest prize at the Venice Film Festival 2001. Mira Nair was the second Indian (after Satyajit Ray for Aparajito (1957)).
When Ria confronts Tej in the car with Aliya, Aliya is next to him. The camera goes back to Ria, and in the next shot, Tej is in the car alone. A moment later, Aliya is back in car.