Tin Maung was born in Pyay, a small town in Lower Burma during the British colonial rule.
The youngest brother of Nyi Pu, a famous Burmese actor of early Burmese cinema, Tin Maung began his film career at age 10, in 1923, appearing in Taw Myaing Zon Ga Lwan Aung Phan.
In 1937, Tin Maung directed Aung Thabyay about the final days of King Thibaw, Burma's last monarch, who died an embittered man in exile in India.
[1] In 1942, during World War II, Tin Maung enlisted in the Burma Independence Army to fight against the British colonialists.
He visited several Asian countries (Indonesia in 1950, India in 1954 and Japan in 1955) to learn directing and film production techniques.