Director/writer Sooraj Barjatya noted that the story of "Vivah" is based upon a newspaper article his father read in 1988. Like in all of Sooraj R. Barjatya's previous films, the male lead is called "Prem". The story combined elements of Hindu tradition to set itself up as a film of cultural significance and was constructed differently than Barjatya's earlier films. Barjatya hoped that the film would be remembered as the first to tackle the definitions and dynamics of a marriage. In an interview with "Times of India" Barjatya said, he kept in mind all the novels of Saratchandra Chatterjee while making "Vivah". Barjatya felt that the film should possess a lyrical feel, since it was, according to him, "a lyrics oriented film."