Talat Hussain started his performing arts career on Radio Pakistan in 1964. Hussain first appeared on PTV, Lahore in 1965. Notable performances on TV include Parchaiyaan, Bandish, Hawain (1997) Kashkol (TV series) (1995), Aansoo, Des Pardes, Castle, Riyasat (2006). His first television play from Karachi was Arjumand.
Hussain has also performed in many stage productions in Pakistan including, Andhera Ujala (produced by Nautanki Tola) Raz o Niaz (produced by Rafi Peer Theatre) and Sufaid Khoon (produced by NAPA) among others.
In 1972, he moved to England for further studies and joined the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Hussain's early roles on television in the UK were in Jimmy Perry and David Croft's It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Cabaret Time, Don't Take the Mickey, Fight to Jovani alongside Jeffrey Holland and Robin Parkinson. He also worked for BBC Radio in the play Crown Coat. He also worked on stage in the UK, in Comedian which was performed at Nottingham Play House and West End.
Hussain has worked in several foreign films, television drama serials and long plays, including Channel Four's television serial Traffik and Family Pride. In 2006, Hussain won the Amanda Award for the Best Supporting Role in Norwegian film Import-export (2005). He also worked in the Indian film Sautan Ki Beti and made a guest appearance in Jinnah (1998 film).
In the early 1980s, Hussain narrated the translation of the Qur'an in Urdu language, which was then commercially produced on audiotape (and later on CD as well) by the Shalimar Recording Company. Hussain has also lent his voice to the character of Jesus in the Urdu dubbed version of the film Jesus (1979 film).
Talat Hussain's career has been recorded by the author Huma Mir in the book Yeh Hain Talat Hussain. In 2014, Tributes were paid to him at an event at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi by many well-known TV personalities including playwright Haseena Moin, veteran TV actor/playwright of Alif Noon (1982) fame, Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, journalist Mazhar Abbas and veteran TV actor Qazi Wajid
