Rihanna flipped the script on the red carpet.
The Fenty Beauty mogul was in Mumbai, India, on April 24 for the launch of her beauty brand in the market, attending both the main event and an after-party, according to Just Jared.
It was an exchange with paparazzi, however, that ended up making the rounds online.
The Mumbai event comes days after Rihanna’s W magazine cover alongside her 7-month-old daughter Rocki Irish.
“The latest fashion killa just joined our set. She kind of outshined me,” Rihanna joked in video on Instagram. “Last shoot we’ll ever do together.”
Rihanna Invites Paparazzi to Join Her in Red Carpet Photo
In a video now circulating on social media, the “Work” singer is seen posing for photos on the red carpet ahead of the after-party.
Her look also turned heads. She wore custom Alaïa fit-and-flare jersey dress with V-shaped crocodile leather cutouts inspired by Pieter Mulier’s Summer Fall 2026 collection, Just Jared reported.
It was like any other red carpet moment. Cameras flashing. Photographers calling her name.
Then one voice cuts through—a paparazzo asks if he can take a photo with the “Diamonds” singer.
Rihanna doesn’t hesitate.
“C’mon,” she says, motioning him over.
He steps in beside her, still holding his camera. Other photographers immediately start snapping photos of the two of them together.
Rihanna leans in closer as the cameras keep flashing.
Some paparazzi can be heard reacting in the background as the moment unfolds. By the end of the clip, more paparazzi can be seen approaching her, appearing to ask for the same thing.
Reactions started to spread online.
“The way she pulls him closer!! 😍😍,” one person wrote.
“Rihanna the people’s princess 🥰,” another added.
“She’s so kind,” a third wrote.
“What a lucky guy!” someone else commented.
“They both look so good! Look at his smile, she made his night,” said another.
Why Was Rihanna in Mumbai?
GettyRihanna’s appearance in Mumbai was tied to the India launch of Fenty Beauty.
The event, titled Fenty Beauty Ki Haveli, took place at Phoenix Palladium, as part of the brand’s rollout in India in partnership with Sephora and Reliance Retail’s online beauty platform, Tira, according to multiple outlets, including The Telegraph India and The Tribune India.
“Ki” in Hindi translates to “of,” while “haveli” refers to a traditional mansion, making the event name roughly mean “The House of Fenty Beauty.”
The Mumbai stop marked one of Fenty Beauty’s latest international expansions, bringing the brand’s product lineup to a new market as it continues its global rollout. Fenty Beauty currently has a presence in over two dozen countries across six continents.
Several high-profile figures in India from the entertainment, fashion, and business industries were in attendance, Isha Ambani, Janhvi Kapoor, Kanika Kapoor, Aditi Bhatia, Pashmina Roshan, and Manish Malhotra, according to The Tribune India.
GettyRihanna’s arrival in the city was not widely announced in advance, with reports noting she landed shortly before the event, according to Statesman News Service. Reports suggested Rihanna kept a low profile leading up to the event, with details of her appearance only emerging shortly before she arrived.
