Islamabad, April 13: Leading Pakistani film actor Nargis plans to set up a commercial theatre in Toronto for ?healthy? stage performances to entertain overseas Pakistanis and Indians.

The actor, who declined a lead role in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, said she refused to the role in the soap to start her own project. ?I feel that Pakistan offers a big platform for showbiz so I turned down the offer.?

This will be a first venture of its kind by a Pakistani actor outside the country.

Nargis told reporters in Lahore, home to Pakistan?s film industry Lollywood, that she would sign a two-year lease soon to set up the theatre.

The actor said she wanted to make Pakistani artistes and commercial theatre popular in the West.

?We will stage a new play in Toronto fortnightly,? Nargis said, adding that she would ?take a delegation of Pakistani artistes to Canada?.

She also promised to engage Pakistani film and TV artistes living in Canada, like Asif Raza Mir, melody queen Mussarat Nazir, actor Mumtaz, Ismat Tahira and Zamurud, in plays at her theatre.

Known herself for what is seen as ?suggestive? dance performances in Pakistani Urdu and Punjabi movies, Nargis blamed the ?relatively unknown young girls? for vulgarity.

?I have done nothing vulgar,? she said, adding that she brought a lot of variation to traditional dances and has set new trends.

?These new girls in commercial theatre are responsible for brazen vulgarity and have crossed all bounds of decency.?

The actor said the new girls ? are bringing a bad name to theatre. My dances are more popular among women than men. They find my dances aesthetically pleasing?.

She said she would discourage such trends in Toronto.