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This is an archive article published on November 6, 2004

Knot not yet for Arun, Liz Hurley

British model, actress and tabloid queen Elizabeth Hurley is currently holidaying in Udaipur celebrating two things: boyfriend Arun Nayar1...

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British model, actress and tabloid queen Elizabeth Hurley is currently holidaying in Udaipur celebrating two things: boyfriend Arun Nayar8217;s 40th birthday, and a wedding that never was.

Even as Indian and British paparazzi are tripping over their heels, speculating and publishing reports of a 8216;8216;secret8217;8217; nuptials, the couple8217;s close friends say they know nothing. 8216;8216;If they were getting married, it would be a huge surprise for us too,8217;8217; says a close friend.

But the most important aspect has been ignored: Nayar isn8217;t yet divorced from his erstwhile wife, Italian socialite Valentina Pedroni. Since he had married Pedroni in Italy first8212;before their Indian wedding in Mumbai8212;their marriage requires three years to be annulled, only one has passed until now. Interestingly, Pedroni is currently here in Mumbai visiting friends.

But at the Devigarh Fort hotel, Udaipur, festivities are on in full swing. A private party, ensconced in secrecy, continues despite hopeful British paparazzi just outside the environs. Hurley8217;s mother, Angela, son Damien and a host of friends from England are here.

Nayar has invited just a handful of his friends8212;only twelve of them are present, each belonging to the creme de la creme of Mumbai8217;s high society. These are Parmeshwar and Adi Godrej, Nawaz and Gautam Singhania, Anju and Farhad Taraporvala, Haseena and Mahesh Jethmalani, Aarti and Kailash Surendrenath and Farah and Riyad Oomerbhoy.

Last night, as they arrived, the guests were treated to a splendid kaftan and kurta party at the palatial hotel. It was a part Moroccan-part Indian theme party with rangoli on the floors, hosted by Nayar8217;s brother Nikki and his wife Samantha. Today, lunch is chaat and cocktails by the poolside. A black-tie dinner follows at night, before the group flies back to Mumbai on Sunday.

8216;8216;There8217;s nothing new in this. A big party out of Mumbai doesn8217;t mean a marriage. Arun and Nikki have been having parties like this forever,8217;8217; says a source close to the brothers. 8216;8216;It8217;s only now that Mumbai society has gotten involved and Arun has suddenly become a commodity.8217;8217;

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Meanwhile, Hurley seems to be quite keen on a wedding. In her first and only interview to an Indian publication, she told L8217;Officiel fashion magazine that she loves Indian fashion, Bollywood and Indian weddings8212;Nayar8217;s father was remarried recently.

8216;8216;I loved getting up so many nights in a row,8217;8217; she had said. She had also said that she would like to have another child.

But one of Pedroni8217;s friends tells us: 8216;8216;Valentina is desperate for a divorce, Arun just isn8217;t serious about it.8217;8217; Hurley and the British paparazzi may just have to hold their nuptial dreams for a while.

 

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