{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox film | name = Town Bus | image = Town Bus poster.jpg | caption = Film poster | director = K. Somu | producer = M. A. Venu | writer = A. P. Nagarajan | starring = N. N. Kannappa<br />Anjali Devi | music = K. V. Mahadevan | cinematography = V. K. Gopal | editing = T. Vijayarangam | studio = M. A. V. Pictures | released = {{film date|1955|11|13|df=y}} | runtime = 130 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Town Bus''''' is a 1955 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by K. Somu and produced by M. A. Venu. The film was written by A. P. Nagarajan, and the soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan. The film stars N. N. Kannappa and Anjali Devi, with V. K. Ramasamy, A. Karunanidhi, T. K. Ramachandran, M. N. Rajam and T. P. Muthulakshmi in supporting roles. The plot of the film was built around a bus transport company based in Coimbatore. The film, released on 13 November 1955, performed well at the box office.
== Plot == {{more plot|date=September 2024}} Velu, an unemployed youth, meets a bus conductor Amutha by circumstance, joins the transporter company as driver and gradually gets close to her. The owner's daughter falls in love with him, but her father wants her to marry Ramu, a relative who is the manager of the company. He is only after money and also a womaniser.
Velu's friend Mannaru falls in love with another conductor named Poongavam. The manager dismisses the two drivers, after which Velu becomes an auto rickshaw driver. Soon he sets up his own company and experiences success in a short span of time. He marries Amutha and has a child through her. As he becomes more successful, his lifestyle changes and he falls in love with another woman, a dancer named Pankajam.
Amutha learns about her husband's affair with Pankajam and more complications follow. She eventually learns that Pankajam is her long-lost sister. Ramu locks up Velu in a room with the intention of killing him. The two women and the bus owner's daughter, who remains single, team up to save Velu. In the process, Ramu shoots Pankajam and is arrested. Velu, Amutha and their child unite and live happily.
== Cast == <!-- Adapted from the songbook --> {{Col-begin|width=60%}} {{col-break|width=50%}} ;Male cast<ref name="song book" /> * N. N. Kannappa as Velu * V. K. Ramasamy as Ayya Kannu * A. Karunanidhi as Mannaru * T. K. Ramachandran as Ramu * P. D. Sambandam as Vaiyapuri * P. S. Venkatachalam as Thayanidhipillai * Kallapart Natarajan as Satagopan * R. Pakkirisamy as Murugan {{col-break|width=46%}} ;Female cast<ref name="song book" /> * Anjali Devi as Amutha * M. N. Rajam as Pankajam * T. P. Muthulakshmi as Poongavanam * K. S. Angamuthu as Meenakshi * Tambaram Lalitha as Vimala * Baby Kanchana as Mani {{Col-end}}
== Production == ''Town Bus'' was directed by K. Somu and produced by M. A. Venu for ''M. A. V. Pictures''.<ref name="BfTP" /> The film was written by A. P. Nagarajan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raman |first=Mohan V. |author-link=Mohan Raman |date=14 April 2012 |title=Master of mythological cinema |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/master-of-mythological-cinema/article3314719.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523032809/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/master-of-mythological-cinema/article3314719.ece |archive-date=23 May 2013 |access-date=20 February 2018 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> V. K. Gopal was the cinematographer. Shooting took place mainly in Coimbatore.<ref name="BfTP" />
== Soundtrack == The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with lyrics by Ka. Mu. Sheriff.<ref name="song book" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Town Bus |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/town-bus/42mdBfsCIec_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005111744/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/town-bus/42mdBfsCIec_ |archive-date=5 October 2022 |access-date=5 October 2022 |website=JioSaavn|date=31 December 1955 }}</ref> Songs such as "Chittukkuruvi Chittukuruvi" (picturised on Anjali Devi) and the dance number "Leda Lady Aruginil Vaada Aadi Paadalam" became popular.<ref name="BfTP" />
{| class="wikitable" ! Song !! Singers !! Length |- | "Chittukuruvi Chittukuruvi" (Happy) || M. S. Rajeswari || 02:21 |- | "Chittukkuruvi Chiitukuruvi" (Sad) || M. S. Rajeswari || 03:11 |- | "Chittukkuruvi Chiitukuruvi" (Bit) || M. S. Rajeswari || 00:46 |- | "Leda Lady Aruginil" || S. C. Krishnan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan & U. R. Chandra || 03:09 |- | "Vadakathi Kallanada.... Thilaalanga Thilaalanga" || T. M. Soundararajan || 01:10 |- | "Ponnaana Vaazhvu Mannaagi Poma" || Thiruchi Loganathan, M. S. Rajeswari & Radha Jayalakshmi || 05:46 |- | "Panam Padaitha Selvar" || || |- | "Utthamaraai....Thottratthai Kandum" || T. M. Soundararajan || 02:53 |- | "Nenjam Urugudhe" || Radha Jayalakshmi || 03:11 |- | "Poongavaname Nee Purinji" || S. C. Krishnan & U. R. Chandra || |}
== Release and reception == ''Town Bus'' was released on 13 November 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1955 – டவுன்பஸ் – எம்.ஏ.வி.பிக்சர்ஸ் |trans-title=1955 – Town Bus – M.A.V. Pictures |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1955-cinedetails16.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419063406/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1955-cinedetails16.asp |archive-date=19 April 2018 |access-date=19 April 2018 |website=Lakshman Sruthi |language=Tamil}}</ref> ''The Indian Express'' wrote, "Anjali Devi appears to game for any kind of role and she makes a truly striking figure as a bus conductress".<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 November 1955 |title=Town Bus |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19551125&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=The Indian Express |pages=8 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref> According to historian Randor Guy, the film was commercially successful mainly because of the music.<ref name="BfTP" />
== References == <references>
<ref name="BfTP">{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=18 August 2012 |title=Blast from the Past: Town Bus 1953 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/town-bus-1953/article3789146.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114134226/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/town-bus-1953/article3793478.ece |archive-date=14 January 2017 |access-date=14 January 2017 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> <ref name="song book">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/sok.TownBus_K.Somu_1955/40.%20TownBus_K.Somu_1955.pdf |title=டவுன் பஸ் |publisher=M. A. V. Pictures |year=1955 |language=ta |type=song book |access-date=5 October 2022 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
</references>
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} {{A. P. Nagarajan}}
Category:1955 Indian films Category:1950s road comedy-drama films Category:1950s romantic comedy-drama films Category:1955 Tamil-language films Category:1955 films Category:Films about buses Category:Films about women in India Category:Films directed by K. Somu Category:Films scored by K. V. Mahadevan Category:Films shot in Coimbatore Category:Films with screenplays by A. P. Nagarajan Category:Indian black-and-white films Category:Indian road comedy-drama films Category:Indian romantic comedy-drama films Category:Tamil-language Indian films