# George Maryan
**George Maryan** (ஜார்ஜ் மரியன்; born 1963) is an Indian actor and comedian who works primarily in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema), usually in supporting and comic roles. He is known for playing Constable Napoleon in *Kaithi* (2019) and *Leo* (2023), the Church Father in *Bigil* (2019), and the father of the protagonist in *Dragon* (2025).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6998719/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_maryan) • [3](https://indiaglitz.com/george-maryan-tamil-cinema-father-sentiment-dragon-movie-emotional-performance-tamil-news-362644) His full birth name is recorded as M. A. George Mariyaan.[4](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963, in Tamil Nadu, India; most databases give Chennai[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6998719/) |
| Profession | Actor and comedian in Tamil cinema, mainly supporting and comedy roles[5](https://theireview.com/people/george-maryan) |
| Theatre years | Performed in plays from 1989 to 2002 with the Chennai group Koothu-P-Pattarai under N. Muthuswamy[4](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/) |
| Film debut | *Azhagi* (2002)[6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan.html) |
| Signature role | Constable Napoleon in Lokesh Kanagaraj's *Kaithi* (2019), repeated in *Leo* (2023)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_maryan) |
| Award | Zee Cine Awards (Tamil), Best Supporting Actor Male, for *Kaithi* (2019)[4](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/) |
| Career span | Active in film from 2002 to the present, with roughly seventy acting credits listed on The Movie Database[7](https://www.archytele.com/person/george-mariyan) |
## Theatre background
Maryan began his performing career on stage. He joined the theater company Koothu-P-Pattarai in Chennai and acted in plays alongside performers such as [Pasupathy](https://www.edgepedia.org/pasupathy), Jayakumar, and Kalairani, under the direction of N. Muthuswamy.[4](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/) • [8](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bigil-tamil-movie-comedy-actor-george-maryan-kaithi-police-george-maryan-interview/) In a 2019 interview he said that the actor and director [Nassar](https://www.edgepedia.org/nassar-actor) introduced him to cinema through Nassar's film *Maayan*, and that Pasupathy, from the same troupe, was similarly introduced by Nassar to [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan).[8](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bigil-tamil-movie-comedy-actor-george-maryan-kaithi-police-george-maryan-interview/)
Database biographies place his screen debut in 2002 with *Azhagi*, in which he played a maths teacher.[6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan.html)
## Film career
Through the 2000s and 2010s Maryan built a career of small supporting parts, often comic, in Tamil films. He has worked repeatedly with the directors [Sundar C.](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundar-c), A. L. Vijay, and [Priyadarshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/priyadarshan).[6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan.html)
**Turning point.** In a 2019 interview Maryan identified *Kanchivaram* as the film through which many viewers first recognized him, and said [A. L. Vijay](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-l-vijay), then an assistant to Priyadarshan, had selected him for that role and later cast him in *Madrasapattinam* and *Saivam*.[8](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bigil-tamil-movie-comedy-actor-george-maryan-kaithi-police-george-maryan-interview/) His role as Raja in *Saivam* (2014) drew critical praise; a Times of India reviewer wrote that he "acted well".[9](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9C%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D)
## Kaithi and wider recognition
The role that changed his standing was Constable Napoleon in [Lokesh Kanagaraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/lokesh-kanagaraj)'s action film *Kaithi* (2019), starring Karthi. Maryan said in the same interview that he had doubts about whether audiences who knew him as a comedian would accept him in such a serious part, and that Kanagaraj's encouragement persuaded him to take it.[8](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bigil-tamil-movie-comedy-actor-george-maryan-kaithi-police-george-maryan-interview/) The performance earned him the Zee Cine Awards Tamil prize for Best Supporting Actor Male.[4](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/) On Rotten Tomatoes, *Kaithi* is listed as his highest-rated film at 100 percent, against a low of 20 percent for *Saamanyudu* (2022).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_maryan)
He reprised Constable Napoleon in *Leo* (2023), also directed by Kanagaraj, and appeared in the same year's *Rudhran*, *Run Baby Run*, and *Raid*.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_maryan) • [10](https://thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/george-maryan) Other credited parts in this period include Scientist Rajarajan in *Naai Sekar* (2022), Pazhani in *Naduvan* (2021), and Chittu in *Erumbhu* (2023).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_maryan)
## Dragon and recent work
In *Dragon* (2025), directed by [Ashwath Marimuthu](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashwath-marimuthu), Maryan played Dhanapal, the father of the protagonist played by [Pradeep Ranganathan](https://www.edgepedia.org/pradeep-ranganathan). IndiaGlitz highlighted his climax dialogue, "Don't worry son, get up and run again, I am here", as a moment that moved audiences and drew wide response on social media, and described him as one of Tamil cinema's most cherished supporting actors.[3](https://indiaglitz.com/george-maryan-tamil-cinema-father-sentiment-dragon-movie-emotional-performance-tamil-news-362644) In *[Happy Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/happy-raj)* (2026) he played Kathamuthu, the title character's father; a review in the Tamil daily Purasai Times called him the film's standout performer.[11](https://purasaitimes.com/files/29-03-2026.pdf)
His slate of announced and released projects for 2025 and 2026 includes *Mask* (2025), *Madras Matinee* (2025), *Mellisai* (2026), *Kenatha Kanom* (2026), *[Thaai Kizhavi](https://www.edgepedia.org/thaai-kizhavi)* (2026), *Karuppu* (2026), and *Lenin Pandiyan* (2026), in which he plays Beemarao.[12](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan/upcoming-movies.html) • [10](https://thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/george-maryan) He is also cast in *Texla*, directed by [Aishwarya Rajinikanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/aishwarya-rajinikanth) and scheduled for November 2026.[12](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan/upcoming-movies.html)
## Birthplace
Most film databases, including IMDb and Filmibeat, record his birthplace as Chennai, Tamil Nadu.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6998719/) • [6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan.html) The biography site WikiBio gives Vilathikulam, Tamil Nadu, as his birthplace instead; the two accounts have not been reconciled in the available records.[4](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/)
## References
1. [George Maryan, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6998719/)
2. [George Maryan, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_maryan)
3. [Exploring George Marian's Mastery in Emotionally Engaging Performances, IndiaGlitz (4 March 2025)](https://indiaglitz.com/george-maryan-tamil-cinema-father-sentiment-dragon-movie-emotional-performance-tamil-news-362644)
4. [George Maryan Wiki, WikiBio](https://wikibio.in/george-maryan/)
5. [George Maryan (Acting), TheiReview](https://theireview.com/people/george-maryan)
6. [ஜார்ஜ் மரியான், Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan.html)
7. [George Mariyan, Archytele (TMDB data)](https://www.archytele.com/person/george-mariyan)
8. [மாஸ் போலீஸ், சர்ச் ஃபாதர்: ஜார்ஜ் மரியான் பேட்டி, Indian Express Tamil (1 November 2019)](https://tamil.indianexpress.com/entertainment/bigil-tamil-movie-comedy-actor-george-maryan-kaithi-police-george-maryan-interview/)
9. [ஜார்ஜ் மரியன், Tamilar Wiki](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9C%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D)
10. [References for George Maryan, The Names Dictionary](https://thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/george-maryan)
11. [Purasai Times e-paper, 29 March 2026, page 6](https://purasaitimes.com/files/29-03-2026.pdf)
12. [George Maryan Upcoming Movies, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/george-maryan/upcoming-movies.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Tamil film actors › Surnames K to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license