London, Dec. 16: Arun Nayar’s father, Vinod, a 70-year-old textile businessman in Mumbai, had no idea that his son’s marriage to Elizabeth Hurley was in trouble, according to a report today.

“We had no idea Arun’s marriage was on the rocks,” Vinod is quoted in the Daily Mirror. “I’m hoping that now Arun will get back home.”

By “home” Vinod presumably means Mumbai though his son was born in Leeds in December 1964, was educated at Millfield School, Christ Church, Oxford, and Imperial College, London, and has lived most of his life in Britain.

There appears to be a ring of truth in what Vinod is believed to have told the Mirror: “I have messaged Arun and am waiting to hear from him. I am shocked.”

The Mirror takes Vinod’s comment and extrapolates it to what he apparently means: “Liz ripped our family apart… now we want our son back.”

There is certainly a history of bad blood between Vinod and Hurley, who had Arun sling out his own father from the wedding celebrations in Mehrangarh Fort in 2007 because he had made the mistake of taking out his camera (thereby possibly endangering Hurley’s reported £2-milllion exclusive picture deal with Hello!).

Yesterday’s Mirror said that “Hurley could lose a large portion of her £13-million fortune in a divorce settlement because her wealth far exceeds 46-year-old textile tycoon Nayar’s — who will eventually inherit a fortune. They are said to have waived a pre-nup before their wedding in 2007.” The paper quoted divorce lawyer Isabel Thornton saying: “Mr Nayar may request Ms Hurley provides a house for him, amongst other things.”

Today’s Mirror report contradicts a very different account yesterday in the Daily Mail, which claimed: “Miss Hurley is said to have visited Mr Nayar’s family (in Mumbai) to personally apologise for the break-up.”

The Mail said, “Mr (Arun) Nayar — a textile heir — is determined to keep his pride intact by not benefiting substantially from the divorce.”

Explaining Hurley’s visit with her son Damian two months ago, a family friend told the paper: “‘Liz came to Mumbai with Damian and stayed at a hotel. She then came and saw Arun’s parents and announced that she intends to separate from Arun. It was a brief meeting.”

After the wedding in 2007, Vinod poured out his grievances, real or imagined, in a surprisingly vitriolic interview to the Mail on Sunday.

Vinod had then revealed that his 87-year-old mother was not invited.

“I believe it (the way his family was treated) was done expressly at Elizabeth’s orders. Maybe she did not want my side of the family there. It was important for her to get celebrity faces. That’s what the deal with Hello! magazine was all about.”