Principal photography took place over a two-month period from mid-March to May 2008 in Miami. Dostana art director was Amrita Mahal. Mahal assisted Sharmishta Roy for four years, worked with her on Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and became friends with Tarun Mansukhani. When Mansukhani asked her to work on his directorial debut, she jumped at the opportunity. Three large sets were created for the film in Miami: the apartment, the Verve office and the "Desi Girl" set. Smaller sets had simple floor plans. The types of houses in Miami were researched, and Mahal described them as "large and spacious compared to cramped apartments in New York."
