AceShowbiz - A director who shot Rihanna's "S&M" video has defended the racy footage, insisting it was her intention to provoke a reaction with suggestive imagery. Melina Matsoukas isn't surprised the clip, which sees Rihanna tied up, sucking on a banana, and whipping men, has stirred up controversy around the world - because it was her aim to shock viewers.

Matsoukas tells MTV.com, "When I go out to make something, I kind of go out with the intention to get it banned - (well) not to get it banned, I always want my stuff played - but to make something provocative. So when you do something that's provocative, that's usually a repercussion. It's gonna be talked about or banned or slandered in some way. But it's making an effect and people are having a dialogue about it, so, to me, that's successful."

Matsoukas reveals the Bajan beauty herself initially worried about causing offence but felt victorious after bosses at music network MTV agreed to air her video uncensored. She adds, "She was happy that MTV had no changes, and she was definitely like, 'See? We made it through!' Because the whole time we were like, 'If we use ball gags and we show this, are they gonna play it?' And we just went for it and didn't care, and people seem to be embracing that."

The promo has been banned in 11 countries, while YouTube.com bosses have put an age restriction on the footage.