Kumaresan Duraisamy (born 2 December 1963), known professionally by his stage name Napoleon, is an Indian actor, entrepreneur and former politician. He was the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet. He has acted predominantly in Tamil films apart from some Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and English movies.
Early and personal life Napoleon was born as Kumaresan Duraisamy on 2 December 1963 in Tiruchirappali. He graduated from St. Joseph's College, Trichy.
In 1993, he married Jayasudha and had two sons: Dhanoosh and Gunal. Dhanoosh was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, which eventually prompted Napoleon and his family to move to America. Gunal directed the music video for the local LA-based band affengriffon's "I Just Wanna See You".
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.
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. 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.
Films
He entered the Tamil film industry in 1991 with Bharathiraja's rural film Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu, playing the antagonist role. After the success of Ejamaan (1993), Napoleon went on to play the villain to great effect in Malayalam and Telugu cinema too. He has been praised for his performance and acting in the Malayalam movie 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 hit. 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 as a supporting actor in popular movies such as Pokkiri (2007) and Dasavathaaram (2008).
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.
After making his Hollywood debut in the supernatural thriller, Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge (2019), he was seen in another American independent film titled Christmas Coupon (2019). Napoleon also announced that he is the only Tamil actor, who had acted in a Hollywood film, which was completely shot in the US.
Entrepreneurship
Nepoleon Duraisamy forayed into IT Entrepreneurship and kick started "Jeevan Technologies" IT operations in Chennai, India in the year 2000.
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.
Achievements and awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for Ettupatti Rasa (1997) Kalaimamani and 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 Tamil films Year Film Role Notes1991 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 appearance1993 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 Cinema Express Award for Best Villain1994 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 Singarasu 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
Other language films Year Film Role Language Notes1993 Devasuram Mundakal Shekaran Malayalam Kunthi Puthrudu Sambasivudu Telugu 1994 Hello Brother Mithra Gandheevam Vincent Malayalam 1998 Government Deva Kannada Dubbed in Tamil and Telugu as Government1999 Jayasurya Pratap Billa Ranga Ranga Rowdy Brothers 2000 The Warrant Ravi Ramakrishnan Malayalam Dubbed into Tamil as The Warrant The Gang Kevin Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary Jadadhari Swamiji Telugu 2001 Megasandesam Fr. Rossario Malayalam Dubbed into Tamil as Rosi Ravana Prabhu Mundakkal Sekharan 2002 Kanal Kireedam Albin Dubbed into Tamil as Mary Albert2008 Krishnarjuna Nallama Nayakkar Telugu 2009 Oy! Dr. Harish Chandra Prasad Saleem Singamanaidu 2018 Sharabha Kartavaryudu 2019Devil's Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge Dr. Kadhir English Christmas Coupon Agent Kumar 2022 One More Dream School Principal Also executive producer Meathead Short film; producer 2024 Trap City Nathan As singer Year Film Song Notes1995En Pondatti Nallava "Ponnu Kulla" 1999Ettupatti Rasa"Ettupatti Rasa" 2005Veeranna "Veeranna"
References
External links
Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website Actor Napoleon's website Jeevan Technologies Jeevan Foundation