Composer Palash Muchhal has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time over allegations of financial fraud. Following his highly publicized fight with his ex-fiancé, Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana, actor-producer Vidnyan Mane has now accused Muchhal of cheating him of over Rs 40 lakh, allegedly linked to an investment in an unreleased film. Vidnyan Mane has also claimed that Palash was allegedly unfaithful to Smriti Mandhana.
Palash defender Muchhal questions Vidnyan Mane
Reacting to the allegations, Palash Muchhal’s advocate Shreyansh Mithare issued a strong rebuttal, questioning the credibility and timing of the allegations. In a statement, Mithare said: “Vidnyan claims that he has paid us money, but there is no evidence whether this payment was made by check or bank transfer. As for the allegations that Palash was caught with another woman, where is the evidence? We do not even know this individual personally; he was introduced to us through Smriti’s father Shrinivas. There has been no direct association with him. Why did he remain silent for so long? Only after the wedding was called off did it come to light. Palash is currently exploring his legal options.”
‘Palash cheated on Smriti’
Meanwhile, speaking to Hindustan Times, Vidnyan Mane, who claims to be Smriti Mandhana’s childhood friend, made explosive allegations about the events that led to the cancellation of the wedding. “He was at the wedding celebrations (November 23, 2025) when he was caught red-handed with another woman in bed. In the Bhayanak scene, he was beaten up by the Indian cricketers. The entire family is chindi chor. I thought he would get married and settle down in Sangli, but it completely backfired,” Mane claimed.
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Mane also alleged financial coercion by the Muchhal family. “When I met Palash’s mother Amita Muchhal last month, she told me that the budget to release the film had increased to Rs 1.5 crore. They asked me to invest another Rs 10 lakh or risk losing my entire investment. They threatened to withdraw from the project, leaving me no choice but to file a complaint,” he said.
He further claimed that after the wedding was officially called off, the family allegedly blocked him on all platforms. “I later found out that several other artists associated with the film had also not been paid. I had heard of producers being cheated in the industry, but this seemed like a complete robbery to me,” he added, while threatening to present evidence against the Muchhal family to the police.
Palash Muchhal issues statement
In response to the growing allegations, Palash Muchhal issued an official statement through his Instagram Stories. “In light of the allegations made by Sangli-based Vidnyan Mane on social media, I wish to clarify that these claims are totally baseless and factually incorrect. They appear to be driven by malicious intentions to damage my reputation. My lawyer, Shreyansh Mithare, is examining all legal avenues, and the matter will be strictly addressed through appropriate legal channels,” he wrote.
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What do we know about the film deal between Mane and Muchhal?
The film at the center of the dispute, titled Nazariya, was announced in December 2024. Vidnyan Mane had shared multiple photos from the film’s muhurat ceremony, announcing his foray into Bollywood production. “Coming back to my favorite passion – cinema. This time, I am entering Bollywood as a producer,” he wrote at the time under the banner of Vidnyan Mane Studios.
The images showed Palash with other crew members. Palash signed on as the director of the film.
Palash-Smriti split
Palash Muchhal and Smriti Mandhana were earlier scheduled to get married on November 23, 2025. While the wedding was initially described as postponed due to health emergencies within the family, it was eventually called off with neither party publicly revealing the exact reasons behind the decision.