Actor-producer Vidnyan Mane has made allegations that appear to confirm what many had feared, that singer-composer Palaash Muchhal allegedly cheated on Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana. He has also accused Muchhal of cheating him of over ₹40 lakh, linked to an investment in an unreleased film, and has filed a complaint in Sangli, Maharashtra. A copy of the complaint is with HT City.
Speaking to us, Mane, 34, shares, “I was at the wedding celebrations (November, 23, 2025) when he was caught red-handed with another woman in bed. Bhayanak scene tha, he was beaten up by the Indian female cricketers. The entire family is chindi chor. I thought he’d get married and settle in Sangli, but it has completely backfired on me.” He claims that he is Smriti's childhood friend and was introduced to Palaash by the Mandhana family.
He adds, “When I met his mother (Amita Muchhal) last month, she said the budget to release the movie has now increased to ₹1.5 crore. They asked me to invest another ₹10 lakh or I wouldn’t get any money back. They started blackmailing me and threatened to throw me out of the film, thus I was forced to file a complaint.”
Continuing with the allegations against Palaash, Vidnyan Mane says that despite repeated attempts to reach out to him, there has been no direct response from his side. “After the wedding was called off, the family blocked me from everywhere. I found out that other artistes from the movie had not received payment they were due to receive either. I had heard of directors fleecing producers in the film industry but this is complete theft,” Mane says.
He adds, “When I met his mother (Amita Muchhal) last month, she said the budget to release the movie has now increased to ₹1.5 crore. They asked me to invest another ₹10 lakh or I wouldn’t get any money back. They started blackmailing me and threatened to throw me out of the film, thus I was forced to file a complaint.”
Continuing with the allegations against Palaash, Vidnyan Mane says that despite repeated attempts to reach out to him, there has been no direct response from his side. “After the wedding was called off, the family blocked me from everywhere. I found out that other artistes from the movie had not received payment they were due to receive either. I had heard of directors fleecing producers in the film industry but this is complete theft,” Mane says.
He further claims that he has been receiving threats from the family, warning him that he will no longer be part of the film. He also alleges that there has been no progress on the project despite the film being ready for release.
When asked about his future course of action, Mane says he plans to expose what he describes as the reality of the Muchhal family. “I have saved all proofs including my chats and phone conversations that I’m willing to share with the police and the media,” he ends.
Muchhal posted an Instagram story responding to the allegations.
The story read,"In light of the allegations made by Sangli-based Vidnyan Mane on social media, I wish to state that these claims against me are entirely baseless and factually incorrect. They have been made with malicious intent to tarnish my reputation, and they will not go unchallenged. My lawyer, Shreyansh Mithare, is exploring all legal avenues, and this matter will be dealt with strictly through the appropriate legal channels.”
Palaash and Smriti's wedding originally set for 23 November 2025, was first postponed due to health emergencies in both families and then permanently cancelled in December 2025. After speculation that Smriti had been cheated on, both parties released statements confirming the wedding would not happen. While Smriti said she needed to “clarify that the wedding is called off” and asked for privacy, Palaash, wrote, “I have decided to move on in my life and step back from my personal relationship. Its been very difficult for me to see people react so easily on baseless rumours about something which has been most sacred to me. Its the most difficult phase of my life and I will deal with it gracefully holding on to my beliefs.”