The most common question Anara Gupta receives is: "Why should I watch old movies?" Her answer is sharp.

(2007) : A Hindi film depicting her personal life and legal ordeal Hum Haiin Munna Bhaiya (2010) : One of her well-known Bhojpuri films Tezaab: Aego Gangajal

Here are some iconic films that Anara Gupta might recommend:

In her practical recommendations for the contemporary viewer, Gupta advocates for what she calls “the slow watch.” She warns against binge-watching classics as one would a streaming series. Instead, she suggests a ritual: one film per week, watched in a dark room, with a notebook. Her personal syllabus often begins with Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter (1955), a film she calls “a Southern Gothic fairy tale for adults.” She then moves to Satyajit Ray’s Charulata (1964), praising its use of the opera glass as a metaphor for the voyeurism of creative desire. She ends with the French New Wave’s quiet outlier, Jacques Becker’s Le Trou (1960), a prison escape film that she believes has more to teach about editing rhythm than any action movie of the last thirty years.

Timeless Reels: Anara Gupta’s Guide to Classic Cinema and Vintage Gems

: In October 2004, a pornographic CD allegedly featuring Anara Gupta surfaced and was broadcast on several TV stations. Arrest & Detention