Russell Brand struck by love ... and a water bottle

The British funnyman - who proposed to the 'Teenage Dream' singer in the early hours of New Year's Day in India following a whirlwind romance - has revealed he knew Katy was for him after she threw a half-full bottle at his head like "Cupid in a riot".

He revealed: "You'll think it frivolous of me to say I knew I'd marry her on that first date, but the truth is I fell in love with her when she hit me with that bottle. Like Cupid in a riot."

As the pair were rehearsing for the MTV Video Music Awards in New York last year, Russell was talking to pals when Katy went to extreme measures to grab his attention.

In his new book 'My Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal', he explained: "Thud. Ouch. The bottle hit me right on the head and, although it was plastic, it was half full, or half empty, depending on your perspective, and it hurt.

"'Hey, Brand!' she cockily cawed.

"'Come on brain, let's go', I thought, but my brain wasn't working properly, I think perhaps because of the bottle. Plus my stomach felt odd. Sort of sick.

"'Got you on the head there, huh?' she said. 'Kind of an easy target, it's big and you've got that ridiculous hair.' "

The pair quickly swapped flirty jibes, with Russell exclaiming Katy must be "blind" to be wearing sunglasses indoors, and the sexy singer replying she wouldn't take anything off around him in case she caught sexually transmitted virus "herpes" from him - in reference to his womanising ways.

Katy, 25, then placed her Alexander McQueen bangle on 35-year-old Russell's wrist, and later told him to keep it - to remind him of her.

He explained: "Then, looking into her eyes, quietly I said: 'I don't need anything to remind me of you.' That is how I fell in love."

The pair are now preparing to wed later this year, with Katy partying with pals at her bachelorette party in Las Vegas at the weekend.