TV producer promised prime time, delivered a scam: Actress duped of ₹24 lakh

A 27-year-old actress accused producer Karan Singh Chauhan of cheating her out of ₹24 lakh for a fake Sony TV serial. Police are investigating.

MUMBAI: A 27-year-old actress who recently walked the red carpet at Cannes has accused a television producer of cheating her of ₹24 lakh under the guise of offering high returns from an “approved” Sony TV serial that never existed.

TV producer promised prime time, delivered a scam: Actress duped of ₹24 lakh

Oshiwara police have registered a case against the accused, Karan Singh Chauhan, 36, a self-styled producer, who allegedly lured the actress, Ruchi Gujjar, into investing in a fictional project that he claimed was greenlit by Sony and destined for release on OTT platforms.

According to the complaint, Gujjar met Chauhan at his Oshiwara office in 2023. “He claimed he had strong industry connections and was producing a daily soap for Sony TV. He promised I would earn massive returns if I came on board as an investor,” Gujjar told the police.

To back his story, Chauhan arranged a meeting with one Nazia Sheikh at the Sony TV office in Malad, allegedly presenting her as the executive who would approve the show. At the meeting, Sheikh remained non-committal, but Chauhan later assured Gujjar that the project had been cleared.

Believing she was backing a legitimate production, Gujjar transferred ₹24 lakh to Chauhan. But when the promised profits didn’t materialise and calls went unanswered, she began digging.

It was only when Gujjar contacted Sheikh directly that the mask slipped—Sony TV had never approved any such show, she was told.

When confronted, Chauhan allegedly admitted he had lied about the approval and had used the funds to produce a film titled So Long Valley. He pleaded for time, saying he would repay her once the film rights were sold.

That too, turned out to be a false promise.

On June 25, Gujjar discovered that So Long Valley had already been released—without any profit-sharing, credit, or returns made to her. Realising she had been conned, she filed a police complaint on Thursday.

“We have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating and criminal breach of trust. The financial transactions are under scrutiny and the accused will be summoned for questioning,” said an officer from Oshiwara police station.