Over
their
fourteen-year
partnership,
Amit
and
Naroop
have
photographed campaigns for Universal Music Group, Sony Music,
Warner Music, Barclays, Samsung, Wellman, BBC, Discovery,
MTV, Sky and Huawei. Their portfolio comprises iconic portraits
of celebrities including Ricky Gervais, Kaiser Chiefs, Riz Ahmed,
Miles Teller, 50 Cent and Skepta.
This edition first published in 2019
Unbound
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All rights reserved
Amit Amin and Naroop Jhooti, 2019
The right of Amit Amin and Naroop Jhooti to be identified as the authors
of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act, 1988. No part of this publication may be copied,
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher, nor be
otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in
which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed
on the subsequent purchaser.
While every effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright material reproduced
herein, the publisher would like to apologise for any omissions and will be pleased to incorporate
missing acknowledgments in any further editions.
Images on pages 6, 8, 1019 and 22 courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London
Text Design by Richard Carr
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-78352-612-3 (trade hbk)
ISBN 978-1-78352-614-7 (ebook)
Printed in China by 1010 Printing International
Dedicated to Jiwan Singh Jhooti.
The most special Singh of all.
The camera loved you.
You will never leave our hearts.
We hope this book makes you proud.
FOREWORD
Brave is he, who possessing strength displays it not, and lives in humble ways.
Guru I, Majh Rag
Amit and Naroop came from a completely different world to mine the high-profile world of
celebrity photography. I had only met them briefly prior to our first project together, but they had
something very special and compelling about them.
In 2010, we were in the office of Phillippe Egger, the chief executive of AXA UK. We had
been engaged to assist him and his team to move collectively to the next stage of their leadership
journey together.
Phillippe needed to become a little more accessible and we needed to bring out his more human
persona, which had perhaps been a little lost in the turbulent times of the global downturn. We
had the office set up for me to interview him whilst being filmed.
This would be authentic and without simulation; consequently, he knew nothing of what he
would be asked or challenged to answer.
Amit and Naroop were setting up the cameras and the sound, but as soon as we commenced
filming, they, unbeknownst to Philippe, simultaneously commenced the photoshoot. They were
the most natural of double acts, and soon created an atmosphere that had him instantly at ease.
Amit is all energy and charm, with the most self-deprecating humour that masks his laser-focused
professionalism. Naroop is the patient, thoughtful, strategic and sometimes quiet expert, who
FOREWORD | 1
2 | FOREWORD
always ensures everything gets done to the tightest of deadlines. Together they are the most
awesome of natural partnerships.
This was to be the start of a fabulous working relationship with two brilliant and comple
mentary geniuses, who are always able to do what others said could not be done.
The results of both the filming and the photos were breathtakingly brilliant, and so strikingly
different from what had been expected of the usual regimented, and rather formulaic, business
photo shoots.
Whilst getting to know them really well over the years, I never knew that they were both Sikh.
Frankly, in the cosmopolitan melting pot that the great city of London is, it just did not matter
a jot, until now.
Having spent my life in London, I have benefited from mixing with many Sikh men and
women. Some of these men wear their unique variety of sartorial turbans with the immaculate
beards that bring colour and distinction.
However, I have to confess that I knew very little of their rich and diverse history.
2017 was the seventieth anniversary of the partition of India, and we were enriched by
the insightful and instructive coverage of the BBC on both radio and TV of this unique and
fascinating history which detailed the rich and varied stories of not just the tragedy that partition
brought, but also the many wonderfully uplifting narratives of many of those that suffered, yet
also triumphed, despite the troubled times that they had to endure.
The powerful vignettes of how the Sikhs came to have their stunning beautifully tied turbans
and dashing beards are captured and retold brilliantly in this onceinalifetime book, Turbans
and Tales.
The photographs are exceptional and unforgettable. This is a tribute to the glorious Sikh
tradition and a breathtaking insight into how contemporary Sikh styles and fashions still carry
their history in the most diverse and compelling manner possible.
Every picture really does tell a story and provoke a thousand words in our receptive and vivid
imaginations.
It gives me great pleasure and privilege, to help open the door to this most fascinating and
extravagant collection of photos that Im sure you will treasure, learn from and share.
This is a very special book full of talented people, by my very special friends, Amit and Naroop.
Enjoy it, keep it safe, but share it as widely as you can: their stories and photos must no longer
be secret.
Ren Carayol MBE
September, 2017
FOREWORD
| 3
PREFACE
Turbans and Tales is the next stage of what has been a real adventure: the Sikh Project, a personal
photography project that we created to capture and define what the modern Sikh identity
represents.
We never thought the Sikh Project would become so popular. We never imagined how much
press and attention it would generate through magazine articles, TV and radio. Having held
exhibitions in London and New York City, we became inundated with requests to tour the Sikh
Project internationally.
As exciting as this sounded, and not being ungrateful, we wanted to create more of an impact
with the project. Despite all the work and press we put into promoting the exhibitions, they only
lasted a few weeks. Some people attended, others didnt.
We believed we needed to transform the project into something that would last for ever.
This book is the culmination of both the UK and US Sikh Projects. Its not just a photography
