ALBERT BROOKS - BROOKS ADOPTS INDIAN CUSTOMS TO FIGHT US FLU EPIDEMIC

Movie star ALBERT BROOKS insists America would be a much healthier place if his countrymen adopted India's manners.

The star of THE BIRDCAGE shot most of his eye-opening new movie LOOKING FOR COMEDY IN THE MUSLIM WORLD while travelling through India and Pakistan, and he's convinced common ailments wouldn't exist in his native America if everyone followed the subcontinent's rules.

He explains, "It is the most polite society that I've ever been to. I don't know if it's dealing with the British influence and the properness, but I think some of their customs should be practiced everywhere.

"There are no shaking of hands; they put their hands together in a prayer position and bend. I really am totally into that now.

"I carry this Purel hand sanitiser with me and rub my hands constantly because I've been reading about the bird flu that's taking hold of America. It makes so much sense not to shake hands."