The drawing of a penis with a foreskin that Saleem shows his brothers and sister proved unexpectedly difficult. Chris Bisson can't draw so an artist was commissioned to sketch the object in question, but upon seeing the finished result, it was quickly decided that it looked too odd. It transpired that the artist was in fact circumcised and had no familiarity with foreskins, so the cast and crew were asked if anyone could draw and would like to volunteer his penis. Fortunately, one of the set photographers fit both requirements.
Based on a popular stage production of the same name; most of the actors returned to reprise their roles in the movie.
All of the actors portraying George's children were born in England and could easily relate to their characters' feelings of being brought up to be British while being expected to maintain their family's cultural values and beliefs.
The costumes George's children wear are deliberately outdated to signify that they are hand-me-downs passed down through them all.
Writer Ayub Khan-Din based the story on several of his own life experiences growing up in a multi-cultural family.