Punch up at Elizabeth Hurley's wedding...

[TheMoog]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10032007/32...sour-note.html

Hurley's "Big Fat Indian Wedding" ends on sour note
Saturday March 10, 08:46 AM



Click to enlarge photo
JODHPUR, India (AFP) - British actress Elizabeth Hurley and her Indian groom Arun Nayar were set to leave this western desert town on Saturday after their "Big Fat Indian Wedding" ended with tussles between journalists and police.

At least 10 journalists suffered cuts and bruises as police and security guards clashed Friday with paparazzi trying to snap the marathon event, dubbed the "Big Fat Indian Wedding" by local media, an AFP photographer said.

"The great wedding ends in chaos,"


the Hindustan Times daily newspaper declared in a headline on Saturday.
The dust-up came outside the ancient sheer-walled Meherangarh, literally "Majestic Fort," where the couple held a lavish wedding feast following their traditional Hindu marriage at the hilltop Umaid Bhawan Palace hotel in Jodhpur.

"The security guards and police were punching and shoving the journalists. At least 10 (journalists) suffered bruises and cuts," said AFP photographer R. Raveendran, who was nursing a bleeding thumb.

"The police and security people were also roughing up locals, who started shouting 'Go home Liz'," Raveendran said. Afterwards a security representative of the couple apologised to the journalists, he said.

Exclusive media rights were sold to British celebrity magazine Hello! for a sum reported to cover the seven-figure cost of the nuptials, which capped three days of non-stop partying in the desert state of Rajasthan.

"Famous for being famous, Liz and Nayar let paparazzi down," said The Indian Express in a headline, complaining about lack of media access to the event.

The couple was only able to take four turns around a ritual sacred wedding fire instead of the customary seven because their clothes kept getting entangled, the Times of India reported.

Nayar, wearing an off-white traditional Rajasthani suit, rode to the ceremony on a horse. A pair of camels, bedecked with tassels and copper bells were part of the procession as musicians serenaded the couple with clarinets.

Hurley was dressed in a sari designed by top Indian designer Rohit Bal. She had her hands painted in intricate henna designs and was wearing gold ornaments.

The couple, who held a set of pre-wedding parties in Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment capital, were reportedly planning to head back to the city for post-wedding celebrations.

The guests, numbering around 250, were flown into this city of palaces aboard seven chartered flights, airport officials said.

Back at the Umaid Bhavan hotel, staff were looking forward to some rest, the Hindustan Times reported.

"It's been a very tiring time," Sanjay Umanshakar, the hotel's general manager was quoted as saying.

[sputnik]

why should they allow media access? according to the bbc, journalists and locals stormed the fort and had to be pushed out and security guards had to use force:

Fight mars Hurley's India wedding
By Monica Chadha
BBC News, Mumbai

A scuffle broke out between journalists and security guards following British actress Elizabeth Hurley's Indian wedding to businessman Arun Nayar.
The fight started outside Mehrangarh fort, in Jodhpur, when reporters tried to block the celebrity couple's Bentley as it entered the venue for a dinner.

The journalists then chased the car into the fort, forcing a lockdown.

Media were denied access to the events after a UK magazine reportedly bought rights to couple's wedding photos.

Slap in the face

Indian security guards pushed the journalists from the car to let it enter the venue.

A security guard slapped a woman journalist while another female journalist slapped another guard. Yet another guard pushed another female reporter out of the way.

The Bentley, decorated with flowers and blacked-out windows, drove away quickly but angry journalists followed behind on foot.

They broke through the first security cordon at the foot of the fort and then started moving up towards the entrance.


They were joined by some locals who did not want to miss out on any action.

All attempts by the security guards to stop them failed, and the huge gates to the fort finally had to be shut to prevent anyone from getting inside the lavish dinner party.

The crowd finally dispersed after an hour of demanding an apology from the private security company. A journalist present there told the BBC website no apology was given.

Tight security

Earlier in the evening, the celebrity couple had tied the knot according to Hindu traditions in the grand Umaid Bhawan fort. Security has been tight around the wedding functions and no media have been given information about the events since UK magazine Hello reportedly bought exclusive rights to the marriage pictures for a huge sum.

The actress had brought her bodyguards from the UK and a private security company was also hired from India to ensure that all press was kept at bay.

The newlyweds arrived in Mumbai on Monday and kick-started the Indian leg of their wedding celebrations.

After attending parties hosted in their favour, the couple flew into Jodhpur city on Wednesday in preparation for their wedding on Friday.

They are expected to fly back to Mumbai on Saturday.

Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Fight mars Hurley's India wedding

Published: 2007/03/09 22:43:46 GMT

© BBC MMVII

[SunShine23]

i will never understand why Liz Hurley is worthy of all this attention

[princesspink]

Celebrities have all the rights to keep all media out of their wedding. Having said its a shame that some women were roughed up.

[SunShine23]

i dont wanna get into a discussion about celebrities and their "rights" but once you become a celebrity, to feign shock at people wanting pics of you at your wedding (when you yourself sell those pictures to a tabloid) is ridiculous. they need to get real.

[Cate]

I think it's sad that they get paid enough for their wedding pics to cover the cost of this huge week long wedding festivity. Surely, they both could afford to pay it themselves.