Dawn Images

XXX leading man Vin Diesel has finally spoken up about working with Deepika Padukone in his next film — and he has nothing but praise for the Indian actress.

"I've wanted to work with Deepika for a long time. We were very close to working together in Furious 7," he begins.

Deepika Padukone's fans were delighted when it was rumoured that she'll be the Fast & Furious gal in the seventh installment of the franchise. And it turns out that they weren't the only ones disappointed when that didn't materialise.

"I've been dying to work with someone from Bollywood and bridge that gap. I think there something very multicultural about that, and very exciting," he explained.

If Deepika is experiencing any nervousness about her Hollywood debut, this shout-out ought to put her at ease:

"I think she's going to be such a delight. I think the world's going to go crazy over her character," he gushed.

Deepika is set to play Serena, a huntress who will help Xander on his latest mission, in the upcoming film. She begins shooting with the crew next month.