Neil Nitin Mukesh steps down as brand ambassador of singing show alleging bounced and unpaid cheques

Neil Nitin Mukesh

Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh recently revealed his decision to quit as the brand ambassador of the music reality show, Universal Idol, after facing payment-related issues from the organisers. He took to social media to announce his decision and flag HMC events.

Neil Nitin Mukesh flags makers of singing reality show

Neil took to social media to reveal that three of the cheques issued by the organisers were bounced. He added that when he and his team reached out to them, it yielded no result. His social media post read, "This is to formally announce my exit as Brand Ambassador from 'The Universal Idol' associated with HMC events. Despite repeated assurances, my agreed payments were not honoured. Three cheques issued towards the same have been returned unpaid/bounced, constituting a serious breach of trust and commitment. Multiple follow-ups by my team and me personally and opportunities to resolve the matter amicably were made, unfortunately, without result."

Further, announcing his disassociation with the Universal Idol and the organisers in all capacities, the Prem Ratan Dhan Payo actor wrote, "In the light of the above, I have withdrawn from all present and future associations with Universal Idol, HMC Events, and Mr Shakeel Haasan and his associates with immediate effect."

Neil concluded his post saying, "This note is issued in the interest of transparency and to caution fellow artists, partners, vendors, and collaborators to exercise due diligence and be mindful of claims, commitments and payment assurances made. I reserve all rights to pursue appropriate remedies available to me under law."

Neil Nitin Mukesh's work front

On the work front, Neil was last seen in the black comedy thriller Ek Chatur Naar, written by Himanshu Tripathi and made under the direction of Umesh Shukla. Along with Neil, the movie also stars Divya Khossla Kumar as the lead. The film was set against the backdrop of a quirky small-town Indian landscape, and revolves around the tale of a seemingly charming woman with a naivety that masks her razor-sharp wit.

Prior to that, he also featured in the thriller Hisaab Barabar (2025). Going forward, he will be seen in the Malayalam film Khalifa, which is slated to release in 2026.