Napoleon (actor)

2022-01-10T13:57:40Z

2402:3A80:132A:32DE:EDE9:6639:CD75:E67E:

{{Short description|Indian actor, politician and entrepreneur}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Napoleon
| birthname = Kumaresan Duraisamy
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1963|12|2}}
| birth_place = [[Tiruchirappalli]], [[Madras State]] (now [[Tamil Nadu]]), India
| image = Nepoleon Duraisamy.png
| caption =
| module =
{{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes
| office = [[Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (India)|Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment]] Government of India
| term_start = 13 June 2009
| term_end = 20 March 2013
| predecessor = Manmohan Singh
| successor = [[Selja Kumari]]
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (2014-present)<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/former-union-minister-d-napoleon-quits-dmk-joins-bjp/articleshow/45593458.cms | title=Former union minister D Napoleon quits DMK; joins BJP | newspaper=[[The Economic Times]] | date=21 December 2014 | accessdate=6 April 2021}}</ref>
| otherparty = [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (1980-2014)
| residence = [[Nashville, Tennessee]]
| source = http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=4547&lastls=15
}}
| spouse = Jayasudha (m.1993-present)
| children = Dhanoosh Gunal
| occupation = Film actor Politician Social entrepreneur Entrepreneur
| website = {{url|http://actornepoleon.com}}
| years_active = 1991–present
| education = [[St. Joseph's College, Trichy]]
}}

'''Kumaresan Duraisamy''' (born 2 December 1963), known professionally by his stage name '''Napoleon''' or '''Nepoleon''', is an Indian actor, politician and entrepreneur.<ref name="Manoj">{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/after-mla-roles-napoleon-ready-for-real-power/467679/|title=After MLA napoleon ready for real power|last=Manoj|first=CG|date=29 May 2009|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=5 August 2012}}</ref> He was the [[Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (India)|Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment]] in Indian Prime Minister [[Manmohan Singh]]'s cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chiloka.com/celebrity/napoleon-actor|title = Napoleon Age, Movies, Biography, Photos}}</ref> He has acted in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[Kannada]] and English movies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2020/jul/07/interview--actor-napoleon-on-his-hollywood-debut-film-devils-night-dawn-of-the-nain-rouge-2166284.html|title = INTERVIEW | Actor Napoleon on his Hollywood debut film 'Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge'}}</ref>

==Early life==
He graduated from [[St. Joseph's College, Trichy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/napoleon/biography.html|title = Exclusive biography of #Napoleon and on his life}}</ref>

==Career==

===Politics===
After college, he moved to Trichy and 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2014/dec/28/Napolean-Calls-Uncle-the-Reason-Behind-Quitting-DMK-698871.html|title=Napolean Calls Uncle the Reason Behind Quitting DMK}}</ref>
[[File:Election campaigning 2009.jpg|alt=Nepoleon Election campaigning 2009|left|thumb|2009 Indian general election campaign]]
Napoleon contested the [[2001 Tamil Nadu state assembly election|State Assembly elections of 2001]], winning the [[Villivakkam (State Assembly Constituency)|Villivakkam constituency]] contest and thereby becoming a [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/south/dmk-leader-and-former-union-minister-napoleon-joins-bjp-715988|title = DMK Leader and Former Union Minister Napoleon Joins BJP}}</ref> He lost his membership in the [[2006 Tamil Nadu state assembly election|2006 elections]], when he contested from the [[Mylapore (State Assembly Constituency)|Mylapore constituency]] and was defeated by actor [[S. Ve. Shekhar]]. Subsequently, Napoleon nurtured the [[Perambalur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Perambalur constituency]] in the hope of becoming a member of parliament for the DMK and succeeded in the [[Indian general election in Tamil Nadu, 2009|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.<ref name="Siva">{{cite news|url=http://www.dinamani.com/latest_news/2015/11/26/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B4%E0%AE%95-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%95-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%95-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F/article3147907.ece|title=தமிழக பாஜக துணைத் தலைவராக நடிகர் நெப்போலியன் நியமனம்|last=Siva|first=CG|date=26 November 2015|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=26 November 2015}}</ref>

===Films===

When aged 27, he watched the film ''Udhayam'', the dubbed version of the Telugu film ''[[Siva (1989 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cms.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/dec/19/a-villain-is-what-i-call-an-edhir-naayagan-napoleon-a-veteran-tamil-actor-who-almost-quit-acting-1730861.html|title = A villain is what I call an 'edhir naayagan': Napoleon, a veteran Tamil actor who almost quit acting- the New Indian Express}}</ref> 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 [[Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award|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).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/movie-actor/napoleon|title = Kollywood Movie Actor Napoleon Biography, News, Photos, Videos}}</ref>

Though settled in [[Nashville]], at the insistence of makers, he made his acting comeback with ''[[Kidaari]]'' (2016) and then went on to portray [[Gautham Karthik]]'s father in ''[[Muthuramalingam]]'' (2017) replacing [[Karthik (actor)|Karthik]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/In-the-US-my-son-leads-a-normal-life-Napoleon/articleshow/55666427.cms|title=In the US, my son leads a normal life: Napoleon - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/How-Napoleon-became-Gauthams-father/articleshow/54031533.cms|title=How Napoleon became Gautham's father! - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2019/jul/03/actor-napoleon-plays-a-sports-agent-in-his-second-hollywood-projet-christmas-coupon-12704.html|title = Actor Napoleon plays a sports agent in his second Hollywood project, Christmas Coupon}}</ref>

===Entrepreneurship===
[[File:Jeevan Technologies.png|alt=Jeevan Technologies 2008 IIIrd ODC at DLF IT Park|thumb|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jeevantechnologies.com/about-us/management|title = Management Team}}</ref>

===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|Tamil Nadu Trust Act]].<ref>http://www.jeevanfoundation.com/mayopathy/#:~:text=Mayopathy%20Unit%20of%20Jeevan%20Foundation,the%20Tamil%20Nadu%20Trust%20Act.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.actornapoleon.com/ngo/mayopathy|title=Mayopathy}}</ref>

==Achievements and awards==
[[File:D. 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.jpg|thumb|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.]]
* [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize]] for ''[[Ettupatti Rasa]]'' (1997)
* [[Kalaimamani]] and [[Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award|MGR Award]] (1998)
* Vice-president of the [[South Indian Film Artistes' Association]] (2000–2006)
* Murasoli Trust "Kalaignar" Award, which is given to people who contribute to Tamil language, literature and culture (2007).

==Filmography of Napoleon (a) Kumaresan Duraisamy==
;As actor
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year !! style="width:200px;"|Film !! Role !! Language !! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|1991 || ''[[Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu]]'' || Shankaralingam || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ||
|-
| ''[[MGR Nagaril]]'' || John Peter || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=9|1992 || ''[[Chinna Thayee]]'' || Chamundi || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Bharathan (1992 film)|Bharathan]]'' || C.I.D. Johnson || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Nadodi Thendral]]'' || Swamikannu || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Oor Mariyadhai]]'' || Veerapandi || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Idhu Namma Bhoomi]]'' || Mirasudar || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Mudhal Seethanam]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Thalaivasal (film)|Thalaivasal]]'' || Chandran || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Pangali]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Abhirami (film)|Abhirami]]'' || Mr. Dhilip Kumar || Tamil || Guest appearance
|-
|rowspan=14|1993 || ''[[Captain Magal]]'' || Robert Royappa || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Pudhu Piravi'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Yejaman]]'' || Vallavarayan || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Minmini Poochigal'' || Victor || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Devasuram]]'' || Mundakal Shekaran || [[Malayalam]] ||
|-
| ''[[Munarivippu]]'' || Ranjith || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Rajadhi Raja Raja Kulothunga Raja Marthanda Raja Gambeera Kathavaraya Krishna Kamarajan]]'' || Guru Subramaniam || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Nallathe Nadakkum]]'' || Vikraman || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Dharma Seelan]]'' || Omer Sheriff || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Maravan]]'' || Shankarapandiyan || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Periyamma'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Enga Muthalali]]'' || Jayaraman || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Kizhakku Cheemayile]]'' || Shivanadi || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Kunthi Puthrudu'' || Sambasivudu || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ||
|-
|rowspan=9|1994 || ''[[Hello Brother (1994 film)|Hello Brother]]'' || Mithra || Telugu ||
|-
| ''[[Seevalaperi Pandi]]'' || Pandi || Tamil || Debut as Hero
|-
| ''Gandheevam'' || Vincent || Malayalam ||
|-
| ''[[Maindhan (1994 film)|Maindhan]]'' || Velayudam Pillai || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Pudhupatti Ponnuthayi'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Thozhar Pandian]]'' || Thaamaraiselvan || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Thamarai (film)|Thamarai]]'' || Thamarai || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Mani Rathnam (film)|Mani Rathnam]]'' || Rathnam || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Vanaja Girija]]'' || Anand || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=8|1995 || ''[[Rajamuthirai]]'' || Markandeyan || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Muthu Kaalai]]'' || Sakthivel || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Chinna Mani'' || Duraisamy Thevar || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[En Pondatti Nallava]]'' || Rajappa || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Thamizhachi]]'' || Rasayya || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Asuran (1995 film)|Asuran]]'' || Matthaiya || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Aakaya Pookkal'' || Suriya || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Maamanithan'' || Nagu || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=4|1996 || ''[[Thayagam]]'' || Pilot || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Musthaffaa]]'' || Musthaffaa || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Puthiya Parasakthi]]'' || Rajadurai || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Rajali]]'' || Rajali || Tamil ||
|-
|1997 || ''[[Ettupatti Rasa]]'' || Singaraj || Tamil || [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize]], Also singer for song "Ettupatti Rasa"
|-
|rowspan=3|1998 || ''[[Kizhakkum Merkkum]]'' || Suryamurthy || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Bhagavath Singh (film)|Bhagavath Singh]]'' || Bhagavath Singh || Tamil ||
|-
| ''The Government ''|| Deva || Tamil, Telugu, [[Kannada]] ||
|-
|rowspan=7|1999 || ''[[Maya (1999 film)|Maya]]'' || Pratap / Suriya || Tamil, Telugu, Kannada ||
|-
| ''Billa Ranga'' || Ranga || Kannada ||
|-
| ''[[Ethirum Pudhirum]]'' || Arasappan || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Suyamvaram]]'' || Krishna || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Ponvizha]]'' || Bharathi || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Rowdy Brothers ''|| || Kannada ||
|-
| ''[[Sivan (film)|Sivan]]'' || Murugan || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=5|2000 || ''[[The Warrant]] ''|| Ravi Ramakrishnan || Malayalam || Dubbed into Tamil as ''The Warrant''
|-
| ''[[The Gang (film)|The Gang]]'' || Kevin || Malayalam ||
|-
| ''[[Karisakattu Poove]]'' || Kottai Sami || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary]] ''|| Jadadhari Swamiji || Telugu ||
|-
| ''[[Manu Neethi]]'' || Muthazhagu || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=5|2001 ||''[[Megasandesam]]'' || Fr. Rossorriya || Malayalam || Dubbed into Tamil as ''Rosi''
|-
|''[[Kalakalappu (2001 film)|Kalakalappu]]'' || Veluthambi || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Ravana Prabhu]]'' || Mundakkal Sekharan || Malayalam ||
|-
| ''[[Veettoda Mappillai]]'' || Manikkam || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Mitta Miraasu]]'' || Singa Perumal || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=2|2002 || ''Kanal Kireedam'' || Albin || Malayalam || Dubbed into Tamil as ''Mary Albert''
|-
| ''[[Thenkasi Pattanam]]'' || Dass || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=3|2004 || ''[[Virumaandi]]'' || Nallama Nayakkar || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Adi Thadi]]'' || Surya || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Remote (2004 film)|Remote]]'' || Deenadayalu || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=2|2005 || ''[[Ayya (2005 Tamil film)|Ayya]]'' || Madasamy || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Veeranna (film)|Veeranna]]'' || Mariappan, Veeranna || Tamil || Also singer for song "Veeranna"
|-
|2006 || ''[[Vattaram]]'' || Gurupadam || Tamil ||
|-
|2007 || ''[[Pokkiri]]'' || Commissioner Mohammed Mohideen Khan IPS || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=4|2008 || ''[[Krishnarjuna]]'' || Nallama Nayakkar || Telugu ||
|-
| ''[[Sandai]]'' || Kamaraj || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Dasavathaaram]]'' || [[Kulothunga Chola II]] || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Aayutham Seivom]]'' || ACP Elumalai || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=3|2009 || ''[[Oye! (film)|Oy!]]'' || Dr. Harish Chandra Prasad || Telugu ||
|-
| ''[[Azhagar Malai]]'' || Pandithurai || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Saleem (film)|Saleem]]'' || Singamanaidu || Telugu ||
|-
|2011 || ''[[Ponnar Shankar (film)|Ponnar Shankar]]'' || Thalaiyoor Kaali || Tamil ||
|-
|2016 || ''[[Kidaari]]'' || Kottur Durai || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=2|2017 || ''[[Muthuramalingam]]'' || Mookiah Thevar || Tamil ||
|-
| ''[[Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2]]'' || Prabakaran || Tamil ||
|-
|rowspan=3|2018 || ''Ay.Na'' || Ayna || Malayalam ||
|-
| ''[[Seema Raja]]'' || Ariya Raja || Tamil ||
|-
|''Sharabha'' || Kartavaryudu || Telugu ||
|-
|rowspan="2"|2019||''[[Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge]]''|| Dr. Sudhir || [[English language|English]] || Hollywood Movie
|-
| ''[[Christmas Coupon]]'' || Agent Kumar || English || Hollywood Movie
|-
|rowspan="3"|2021|| ''[[Sulthan (2021 film)|Sulthan]]'' || Sethupathi || Tamil ||
|-
| ''Trap City'' || Nathan || English || Hollywood Movie
|-
| ''One More Dream'' || School Principal || English || Hollywood Movie
|-
| 2022 || ''[[Anbarivu]]'' || Muniyandi || Tamil ||
|-
|}
;As singer
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year !! style="width:200px;"|Film !! Song !! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|1995||''[[En Pondatti Nallava]]'' ||"Ponnu Kulla" ||
|-
|1999||''[[Ettupatti Rasa]]''||"Ettupatti Rasa" ||
|-
|2005||''[[Veeranna (film)|Veeranna]]'' ||"Veeranna" ||
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0621066}}
* [http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=4547&lastls=15 Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]
* [http://www.actornapoleon.com Actor Napoleon's website]
* [http://www.jeevantechnologies.com Jeevan Technologies]
* [http://www.jeevanfoundation.com Jeevan Foundation]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Napoleon}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Tamil male actors]]
[[Category:Indian actor-politicians]]
[[Category:15th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Male actors in Malayalam cinema]]
[[Category:Male actors from Tiruchirappalli]]
[[Category:Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians]]
[[Category:St Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kalaimamani Award]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Telugu cinema]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:People from Perambalur district]]

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Napoleon (actor)