Global pop sensation Rihanna made a surprise return to India, turning heads as she arrived in Mumbai on Thursday. The singer appeared delighted to be back, warmly acknowledging the paparazzi as they greeted her with cheers of “RiRi, RiRi,” waving at them and blowing kisses before making her way out of the airport.
Rihanna back in India
On Thursday evening, Rihanna was spotted arriving at the private airport in Mumbai. Several videos of Rihanna’s arrival in Mumbai have emerged on social media, quickly catching everyone’s attention.
In the clips, the singer is seen stepping out in an all-black ensemble, carrying a bag and completing her look with a pair of sunglasses. The global star, who recently welcomed her third child, greeted the paparazzi warmly at the airport as she made her way through. She was escorted by security personnel at the airport.
As soon as she was spotted, the paparazzi broke into cheers of “RiRi… RiRi,” drawing a cheerful response from the singer. Rihanna waved at the photographers with a bright smile and even blew kisses to the photographers before making her way to her car.
In one of the videos, the star is seen filming the frenzy surrounding her arrival, capturing the crowd that had gathered around her car.
Her return to the country has sparked excitement among fans, with many curious about what has brought her back this time. One wrote, “Rihanna in India, which wedding are we having again?”, with another sharing, “no why is rihanna in India”.
One fan wrote, “@rihanna why are you in india ?????????? 5 hours away from me…….WHERE ARE YOU GOONG SOMEONE TELLL ME”, with one mentioning, “Does anyone know why Rihanna is in India right now? I’m completely out of the stan loop.”
Rihanna is believed to be in India for a special event tied to her cosmetics brand, Fenty Beauty. Titled Fenty Beauty Ki Haveli, the event is expected to mark the inauguration of her beauty line’s latest launch, spotlighting its range of inclusive shades and products.
Rihanna’s previous trips to India
This is not Rihanna’s first trip to India. In 2024, Rihanna, the queen of R&B and pop, rocked Jamnagar with her stunning performance at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s pre-wedding festivities. She belted out some of her all-time hits, including Rude Boy, Pour It Up, Diamonds, and Wild Things. After her performance, she was vibing to the DJ mix.
During her visit to India, she also rubbed shoulders with several Bollywood stars at the pre-wedding celebrations. Videos from the event quickly went viral, showing her dancing with Janhvi Kapoor to Zingaat and sharing a lively moment with Shah Rukh Khan as they grooved to the iconic track Chaiyya Chaiyya.
Later, the pop star joined her best friend, Melissa Forde’s Instagram Live and shared why she had to leave in two days. Melissa accompanied Rihanna on her visit to India. Rihanna said, “I had the best time in India. I only have two days. The only reason I am leaving India is because my kids are (unclear audio). I have to come back.”
According to a report by Daily Mail, Rihanna was paid £5 million ( ₹52 crore) to perform at the pre-wedding event of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. It was her first performance in India.
