Napoleon
Born
Kumaresan Duraisamy

(1963-12-02) 2 December 1963 (age 60)
Tiruchirappalli, Madras State (now Tamil Nadu), India
CitizenshipUnited States of America
EducationSt. Joseph's College, Trichy
OccupationFilm actor
Politician
Entrepreneur
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Jayasudha
​
(m. 1993)​
Children2
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Government of India
In office
13 June 2009 – 20 March 2013
Preceded byManmohan Singh
Succeeded bySelja Kumari
Personal details
Political partyDravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1980-2014)
Websiteactornepoleon.com

Kumaresan Duraisamy (born 2 December 1963), known professionally by his stage name Napoleon, is an American Indian actor, entrepreneur and former Indian politician.[1] He was the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet. He has acted predominately in Tamil films apart from some Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and English movies.[2]

Early life

Napoleon was born in Tiruchirappalli. He graduated from St. Joseph's College, Trichy. [3]

Career

Politics

Napoleon became enthused by the ideologies of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party. He joined the party in which his uncle K. N. Nehru was already a member and at that time the Public Welfare Minister of the state government.[4]

Nepoleon Election campaigning 2009
2009 Indian general election campaign

Napoleon contested the State Assembly elections of 2001, winning the Villivakkam constituency contest and thereby becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu.[5] He lost his membership in the 2006 elections, when he contested from the Mylapore constituency and was defeated by actor S. Ve. Shekhar. Subsequently, Napoleon nurtured the Perambalur constituency in the hope of becoming a member of parliament for the DMK and succeeded in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. He was then appointed Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in Union government. Seen as a loyalist of Azhagiri, he was sidelined by DMK after the expulsion of the latter from the party in 2014. He joined the BJP in the presence of party President Amit Shah on 21 December 2014. He was made the party's state vice-president on 26 November 2015.[6]

Films

When aged 27, he watched the film Udhayam, the dubbed version of the Telugu film Siva, and was inspired to take up acting. He entered the Tamil film industry in 1991 with Bharathiraja's rural film Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu, playing the antagonist role. After the stupendous success of Ejamaan (1993), Napoleon went on to play the villain to great effect in Malayalam and Telugu cinema too. He is praised for good best performance and acting in his Malayalam movie called Devasuram (1993). Napoleon turned hero on-screen too with Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993) in which he played an anti-hero. After that film, Pratap Pothen gave Seevalaperi Pandi (1994). That film turned out to be a mega hit.[7] He was awarded Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for his performance in Ettupatti Rasa (1997).

In 1998, he was awarded the Kalaimamani and MGR Award. From 2000 to 2006, he was appointed as the vice-president of the South Indian Film Artistes Association.

Later after years into film industry, he also got the chance to work in stone blockbuster movies such as Pokkiri (2007) and Dasavathaaram (2008).[8]

Though he settled in Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America, at the insistence of the industry stalwarts, he made his acting comeback with Kidaari (2016). He then went on to portray Gautham Karthik's father in Muthuramalingam (2017) replacing Karthik.[9][10]

After making his Hollywood debut in the supernatural thriller, Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge (2019), he is seen in another American independent film titled Christmas Coupon (2019). Napoleon also proudly announced that he is the only Tamil actor, who had acted in a Hollywood film, which was completely shot in the US.[11]

Entrepreneurship

Jeevan Technologies 2008 IIIrd ODC at DLF IT Park
Jeevan Technologies 2008

Nepoleon Duraisamy forayed into IT Entrepreneurship and kick started "Jeevan Technologies" IT operations in Chennai, India in the year 2000. Jeevan is a trusted technology transformation partner of enterprises across the globe under his able mentorship.[12]

Social entrepreneurship

In 2010, Napoleon established Myopathy Unit of Jeevan Foundation, the Institute for Muscular Dystrophy & Research Center. It is a non-profit organization registered under the Tamil Nadu Trust Act.[13][14]

Achievements and awards

Napoleon presenting the National Trust Annual Award to Shri Ashwin Karthik from Bangalore, at the National Trust Annual Awards Function, in New Delhi on September 10, 2010.

Filmography

Tamil films

Year Film Role Notes
1991 Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu Shankaralingam
MGR Nagaril John Peter
1992 Chinna Thayee Chamundi
Bharathan C.I.D. Johnson
Nadodi Thendral Swamikannu
Oor Mariyadhai Veerapandi
Idhu Namma Bhoomi Mirasudar
Mudhal Seethanam Devi Meenakshi's uncle
Thalaivasal Chandran
Pangali
Abhirami Mr. Dhilip Kumar Guest appearance
1993 Captain Magal Robert Royappa
Pudhu Piravi
Yejaman Vallavarayan
Minmini Poochigal Victor
Munarivippu Ranjith
Rajadhi Raja Raja Kulothunga Raja Marthanda Raja Gambeera Kathavaraya Krishna Kamarajan Guru Subramaniam
Nallathe Nadakkum Vikraman
Dharma Seelan Omer Sheriff
Maravan Shankarapandiyan
Periyamma
Enga Muthalali Jayaraman
Kizhakku Cheemayile Shivanadi
1994 Seevalaperi Pandi Pandi Debut as Hero
Maindhan Velayudam Pillai
Pudhupatti Ponnuthayi
Thozhar Pandian Thaamaraiselvan
Thamarai Thamarai
Mani Rathnam Rathnam
Vanaja Girija Anand
1995 Rajamuthirai Markandeyan
Muthu Kaalai Sakthivel
Chinna Mani Duraisamy Thevar
En Pondatti Nallava Rajappa
Thamizhachi Rasayya
Asuran Matthaiya
Aakaya Pookkal Suriya
Maa Manithan Nagu
1996 Thayagam Pilot
Musthaffaa Musthaffaa
Puthiya Parasakthi Rajadurai
Rajali Rajali
1997 Ettupatti Rasa Singaraj Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize,
Also singer for song "Ettupatti Rasa"
1998 Kizhakkum Merkkum Suryamurthy
Bhagavath Singh Bhagavath Singh
1999 Maya Pratap Dubbed in Telugu as Gurupoornima
Ethirum Pudhirum Arasappan
Suyamvaram Krishna
Ponvizha Bharathi
Sivan Murugan
2000 Karisakattu Poove Kottai Sami
Manu Neethi Muthazhagu
2001 Kalakalappu Veluthambi
Veettoda Mappillai Manikkam
Mitta Miraasu Singa Perumal
2002 Thenkasi Pattanam Dass
2004 Virumaandi Nallama Nayakkar
Adi Thadi Surya
Remote Deenadayalu
2005 Ayya Madasamy
Veeranna Mariappan, Veeranna
2006 Vattaram Gurupadam
2007 Pokkiri Mohammed Mohideen Khan IPS
2008 Sandai Kamaraj
Dasavathaaram Kulothunga Chola II
Aayutham Seivom ACP Elumalai
2009 Azhagar Malai Pandithurai
2011 Ponnar Shankar Thalaiyoor Kaali
2016 Kidaari Kottur Durai
2017 Muthuramalingam Mookiah Thevar
Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2 Prabakaran
2018 Seema Raja Ariya Raja
2021 Sulthan Sethupathi
2022 Anbarivu Muniyandi
2023 Vallavanukkum Vallavan Minister

Malayalam films

Year Film Role Notes
1993 Devasuram Mundakal Shekaran
1994 Gandheevam Vincent
2000 The Warrant Ravi Ramakrishnan Dubbed into Tamil as The Warrant
The Gang Kevin
2001 Megasandesam Fr. Rossorriya Dubbed into Tamil as Rosi
Ravana Prabhu Mundakkal Sekharan
2002 Kanal Kireedam Albin Dubbed into Tamil as Mary Albert

Telugu films

Year Film Role
1993 Kunthi Puthrudu Sambasivudu
1994 Hello Brother Mithra
2000 Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary Jadadhari Swamiji
2008 Krishnarjuna Nallama Nayakkar
2009 Oy! Dr. Harish Chandra Prasad
Saleem Singamanaidu
2018 Sharabha Kartavaryudu

Kannada films

Year Film Role Notes
1998 Government Deva Dubbed in Tamil and Telugu as Government
1999 Maya Surya
Billa Ranga Ranga
Rowdy Brothers

English films

Year Film Role Notes
2019 Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge Dr. Sudhir Hollywood Movie
Christmas Coupon Agent Kumar Hollywood Movie
2022 One More Dream School Principal Hollywood Movie
Also executive producer
As singer
Year Film Song Notes
1995 En Pondatti Nallava "Ponnu Kulla"
1999 Ettupatti Rasa "Ettupatti Rasa"
2005 Veeranna "Veeranna"

References

  1. ^ Manoj, CG (29 May 2009). "After MLA napoleon ready for real power". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  2. ^ "INTERVIEW | Actor Napoleon on his Hollywood debut film 'Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge'". The New Indian Express. 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Illustrious alumni/ae". St. Joseph's College, Trichy. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Napolean Calls Uncle the Reason Behind Quitting DMK". The New Indian Express. 28 December 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  5. ^ "DMK Leader and Former Union Minister Napoleon Joins BJP". NDTV. IANS. 21 December 2014. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  6. ^ Siva, CG (26 November 2015). "தமிழக பாஜக துணைத் தலைவராக நடிகர் நெப்போலியன் நியமனம்". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  7. ^ Sekhar, Arunkumar (19 December 2017). "A villain is what I call an 'edhir naayagan': Napoleon, a veteran Tamil actor who almost quit acting". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Napoleon". Nettv4u. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  9. ^ Suganth, M. (29 November 2016). "In the US, my son leads a normal life: Napoleon". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  10. ^ Suganth, M. (7 September 2016). "How Napoleon became Gautham's father!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Actor Napoleon plays a sports agent in his second Hollywood project, Christmas Coupon". Cinema Express. 3 July 2019. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Management Team". Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Mayopathy". Jeevan Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Mayopathy". actornapoleon.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.

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