'Punnagai Poo' Gheetha

Gheetha Ammasee, best known by her stage name "Punnagai Poo" Gheetha, is a Malaysian radio personality, film producer and actress, who works in Malaysia and the Tamil film industry in India. Gheetha gained popularity as a radio jockey at the Malaysian radio station THR Raaga, before launching her own film production studio and venturing into Tamil cinema, becoming recognized as the first female producer from Malaysia. She has also worked as a host for various events and acted in several kollywood films as well as a Malaysian film.

Career Gheetha Ammasee was born in an Indian Malaysian Tamil family in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia as the daughter of a plantation owner. She started off as a host on the Malaysian television channel NTV7 on a show called Rhythm And Raaga, before starting her career as a radio jockey at the Malaysian Tamil radio station, THR Raaga. She has been working at THR Raaga since its inception. Besides her work in radio, she did hosting jobs, produced telefilms and opened her own advertising company called SG.

Gheetha came to India and established a film production studio named SG Films to produce the film Arinthum Ariyamalum, directed by Vishnuvardhan, a family friend of hers. and ran for 175 days at theatres, while Gheetha got an entry in the Malaysian Book Of Records for being the "first female Tamil movie producer to have produced a Tamil movie in India". which emerged a financial success, too. After Pattiyal, she took a break from Indian cinema and returned to her job in Malaysia. She co-hosted the Enthiran soundtrack release function held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia alongside actor Vivek in 2010.

After a sabbatical of five years, she returned to film production with Narthagi, a drama about transgender people featuring all newcomers, in which she was also seen in a short role. The next year, she produced the female-centric Oru Nadigaiyin Vaakkumoolam starring Sonia Agarwal, which featured Gheetha in a lengthier supporting role as a journalist, for which she shot for seven days. Although she had played cameos and supporting roles in her earlier productions, she said that she was not "very much interested" in acting. Playing an event manager in the film, Gheetha also performed stunts by herself, getting injured in the process. Maindhan went on to become the highest grossing locally produced Tamil film of all time in Malaysia and saw a theatrical release in India as well; Gheetha was later given the Edison Award in India for Best Overseas Artist.

She has co-produced two films, Sivappu along with Muktha Entertainment, a film revolving around Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu. and Kaaval, in which she also played the female lead for which Malaysian Book of Records gave her an award as the first Malaysian to play the lead in an Indian movie.

Filmography

Year Film Credited as Notes Producer Actor Role2005 Arinthum Ariyamalum The collector Cameo appearance Kundakka Mandakka — 2006 Pattiyal Cameo appearance 2011 Narthagi 2012 Oru Nadigaiyin Vaakkumoolam Reeta Cameo appearance 2014 Maindhan Gayathri Malaysian film;Edison Award for Best Overseas Artiste 2015 Kaaval Amrutha Sivappu — 2017 Sangu Chakkaram Angayarkanni 2021 Naanum Single Thaan — 2023 Sila Nodigalil Medha 2026 Sandakkari Unreleased film