Rihanna is a delightful portrayal of adolescent rebellion. Discontent for being called after the Hindu goddess of learning, Saraswati changes her name to Rihanna, her music idol. However, all hell breaks loose with the teachers and elders expressing concern at the act being an indicator of Western values taking over their native culture.
Though light-hearted in tone, the film gives a subtle peep into the widespread influence of the Internet and how it is altering life in rural Nepal with the online exposure firing the dreams of the young. Prithu Bhatta is all fire as the defiant Rihanna. The assured performance belies her age. Srijana Adhikari is quietly effective as her mother Durga. Her little gesture of understanding for Rihanna offers an affirming touch to their bond. The family feels lived in with the sweet old grandmother completing the picture in the steady evolution of selfhood across three generations of women.
Suraj Paudel
Suraj Paudel is a writer, director, and editor from Nepal. His latest short, Rihanna (2025), premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. As an editor, he worked on Lori (2022), which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes and won a Special Mention. A CHANEL × BIFF Asian Film Academy Fellow and Most Promising Filmmaker Award recipient (2022), Suraj’s earlier credits include One Mole of Water (2012) and Aama (2015), along with screenwriting for the series Singha Durbar (2016). He is currently developing the short The Freezer and his debut feature, Where the River Runs South (Global Media Makers LA Residency, Asian Project Market).
