MUMBAI:  The ninth installment of the high-octane actioner "Fast & Furious" starring Vin Diesel, John Cena and Cardi B among others is all set to release theatrically in India on August 5, it was announced on Thursday.

The Justin Lin directorial also stars Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Chris Bridges (Ludacris), Nathalie Emmanuel, Helen Mirren, Ozuna and Charlize Theron.

Universal Pictures have announced the release date of the franchise on Thursday. It will be released in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.

MUMBAI :  Actor-filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., father of Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr., has passed away aged 85. Downey Sr. is best known for films such as "Putney Swope" and "Greaser's Palace".

Robert Downey Sr. died on Tuesday night after battling Parkinson's disease, his son Robert Downey Jr. confirmed in a post late on Wednesday night according to India time.

MUMBAI: British actress Emily Blunt says she finds "a real sense of purpose" helping out those who stutter. Given the fact she overcame a stammer and went onto become a Hollywood star, the 38-year-old actress feels it is her duty to help others deal with the issue.

Blunt has been associated with the American Institute Of Stuttering, and she says she understands the "anguish" of people who stammer.

MUMBAI : Actress Lisa Kudrow, popular as Phoebe in "Friends", revealed that she was really nervous as she forgot the chords of the hit song "Smelly cat", before her duet with Lady Gaga on the recent, "Friends: The Reunion".

"That was great. I was really nervous when I first heard that. And then I prepared -- I realised I had to learn 'Smelly cat' again, and I tuned my guitar and then realised I don't know the chords. But I googled it. All the chords were there for 'Smelly cat'," Kudrow said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show".

MUMBAI: Cultural appropriation has become one of the major points of discussion in the United States in the last few years. Many celebrities in Hollywood have spoken up against this issue, as it can be deemed as racially offensive. Reality TV star and model Kim Kardashian has recently received criticism for wearing an accessory that could be seen as inappropriate in nature. The model posted a picture that showed her wearing the accessory with the 'Om' symbol from the Hindu religion, which led to several netizens expressing their dismay towards it. 

MUMBAI: The makers of the "Fast & Furious" franchise are set to drop their first podcast series on April 30, ahead of release of the ninth film in the series. The podcast will have nine parts and the first episode features the film' hero Vin Diesel, who plays the iconic Dominic Toretto.