Paul Walker’s Fast & Furious character to be retired

Fast & Furious 7 is moving on despite the death of Paul Walker in a November 30 car crash and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Walker's character, Brian O'Conner, will not be killed off in the film, which is now scheduled to be released on April 10 next year. Instead, the plan is to "retire" the character in a way that the studio hopes will satisfy fans of the franchise and make use of the existing footage of Walker, who died halfway through the shoot. In the weeks after the accident, the director James Wan, the writer Chris Morgan and Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Universal's lead executive on the franchise, decided to edit the existing script so that Walker would remain a part of the story but could be written out, allowing the franchise to continue without him. The changes will require some additional scenes to be written and shot, but the eight-month delay of the release gives the crew plenty of time. – The National staff

Telugu actor Uday Kiran found dead in his home

The Telugu actor Uday Kiran, one the youngest winners of India's Filmfare Best Actor award, committed suicide at his residence in Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday night. Kiran was found hanging from the ceiling of his bedroom. Police said the actor took his life because he was "depressed over not getting films for nearly one year". Kiran shot to fame with films such as Chitram (2000), and the 2001 movies Manasantha Nuvve and Nuvvu Nenu. The actor was last seen in the action entertainer Jai Sriram (2013). Film personalities across the country took to Twitter early on Monday to express their shock at the news. – The National staff

Pitbull and Ke$ha top British music charts

The American musicians Ke$ha and Pitbull claimed the first British No 1 single of 2014 on Sunday, after their collaboration Timber racked up above-average sales for early January. The newly released single sold 139,000 copies to knock Happy by Pharrell Williams off the top spot and into second place. Ke$ha and Pitbull have each held the No 1 title twice before with solo singles or collaborations, but neither had hit the No 1 spot for more than two years until Sunday. – Reuters

Paul Walker’s Fast & Furious character to be retired

Also, Pitbull and Ke$ha top British music charts, Telugu actor Uday Kiran dead.