A FORMER Bradford taxi driver turned film and TV star says he is still enjoying his work in front of the camera after almost 50 years.

Mehmood Sultan divided his time between collecting fares in the city and working as an actor in a host of film and TV productions.

Although Mr Sultan, 71, retired as a cabbie four years ago, he shows no signs of giving up his work in film and TV.

He has plenty of new projects either being broadcast or ready for future release as he continues to work hard in front of the camera.

Mr Sultan finished filming a forthcoming drama, ‘Hum Tum’ this summer, and appears as Jameel in its one-minute-long trailer which has been released on YouTube. The drama has been written and directed by Faraz Ahmed.

Mr Sultan is also appearing as Haji Baba in a 15-part comedy series, Hona Tha Pyar, which is currently being shown on TV in Pakistan. For this series, Mr Sultan travelled to Pakistan for filming between January and March this year.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Mehmood Sultan, third from left and far right, during filming for a couple of his upcoming productions Mehmood Sultan, third from left and far right, during filming for a couple of his upcoming productions (Image: Mehmood Sultan)

He is also among the cast of upcoming film – Lahore to London.

His upcoming productions include Animal, which will be released in December. Mr Sultan plays a priest in the upcoming Indian Hindi language action thriller film, which is set in the gangster underworld.

The grandfather-of-four, who also previously worked as a security guard, says he enjoys his work in TV and film.

He said: “I have no plans to retire. I would like at the end of this year to go back to Pakistan to do some more filming.

“I’m happy. I’m a very happy Bradfordian. I’m enjoying myself. I used to do straight drama as well. I do more comedies. I work in TV and film. I work in radio as well.”

Since the 1970s, Mr Sultan has been in countless other dramas and films, including DCI Banks.

His previous credits included locally-filmed drama called Bakra (Sheep) Online and in 2015 he had a part in a movie called Welcome to Karachi, which was shot at various locations across Bradford.

He also featured in the cast of tele-drama Taj War, where he played a father, a good, religious man who is well-respected in his village. He had a well-behaved son studying in Germany but has problems with a wild, trouble-making son in Pakistan. Scenes for the drama were filmed in Lahore in 2016.

His other appearances included a comedy called Actor In Law, which was shot in Pakistan and made it to UK cinema screens during Eid in 2016.