After his cancelled wedding with Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana, music composer Palash Muchhal filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit, calling the cheating claims not just false but damaging to his personal and professional standing.
Recently, Marathi actor-producer Vidnyan Mane accused Palash of cheating him of Rs 40 lakh and also alleged that he was disloyal to Smriti. Now, the singer has taken legal action against Vidnyan. He revealed on social media that he has filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against him for making “false” accusations.
On Saturday evening, Muchhal addressed the controversy through a post on Instagram, where he announced that formal legal steps had been initiated. He wrote, “A legal notice of defamation of ₹10 crore has been sent by my lawyer Shreyansh Mithare to Sangli based Vidnyan Mane for his false, outrageous and highly defamatory accusations made with the deliberate intent to malign my reputation and character."
Screengrab from Instagram story.
According to earlier reports by PTI, 34-year-old Vidnyan Mane had approached the police in Maharashtra’s Sangli district with a complaint against Muchhal. Mane alleged that he was cheated of Rs 40 lakh. However, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in the matter so far.
As per Mane’s complaint, the two first met in Sangli on December 5, 2023. Mane claimed that after he expressed interest in investing in film production, Muchhal encouraged him to invest in an upcoming project titled Nazaria. Muchhal allegedly told Mane that an investment of ₹25 lakh could fetch him a profit of ₹12 lakh once the film was released on OTT platforms, and also offered him a role in the project.
The complaint further stated that the two met twice after their initial discussion, following which Mane allegedly paid a total of ₹40 lakh to Muchhal by March 2025. However, the film project did not reach completion. Mane claimed that when he asked for his money to be returned, he received no response, prompting him to approach the police. Along with the financial allegations, Mane also accused Muchhal of cheating on Smriti Mandhana before their marriage plans fell through.
Palash Muchhal and Smriti Mandhana were set to tie the knot on November 23, 2025. However, their wedding was called off after after the pre-wedding festivities.
The music composer has now deleted every trace of his long-term partner from his Instagram profile, signalling a deepening rift between the two.
Over a dozen photos, including birthday tributes and holiday snaps, have been scrubbed from his profile. Beyond the erased digital footprints, the two are also no longer following each other on the platform.