Growing up in the public eye is not easy, especially when your childhood is tied to one of Singapore’s most famous television families. For local actress Dayang Nur Balqis, her teenage years were completely intertwined with Mediacorp’s hit franchise Lion Mums. She started out in 2015 as a wide-eyed ten-year-old playing Nabilah—the resilient daughter of fierce family lawyer Durrani.

Growing Through Heavy Character Arcs

When Dayang first stepped onto the set of Lion Mums, acting was mostly about youthful wonder. At just ten years old, things like deep character analysis or complex acting theories were completely off her radar. As she shares in her interview, her early take on Nabilah relied on raw instinct and the pure joy of being on set. Back then, acting felt light, cheerful, and simple—almost like a massive, engaging game of dress-up. The turning point came in Season 3, when Nabilah faced a heartbreakingly heavy storyline involving sexual assault by her private tutor.

Portraying such a traumatic experience meant Dayang had to leave her innocent approach behind. To capture the psychological weight of trauma, she had to carefully break down every single scene and genuinely put herself in Nabilah’s shoes. It forced her to grow up fast and view emotional vulnerability not as something to fear, but as a crucial tool for honest storytelling.

Learning that Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

When Dayang first started out, she fell into a trap that many new actors do: thinking that good acting is just about memorizing lines and delivering them on cue. She quickly realized that spoken dialogue is only a tiny fraction of a great performance. The real magic happens in the quiet moments between the lines.

Over time, she shifted her focus toward mastering non-verbal communication:

The expression in her eyes: Letting the audience read her thoughts without saying a word.

Micro-facial movements: Using tiny facial shifts to hint at hidden pain or worry.

Intentional body language: Shifting her posture to show discomfort or confidence.

The art of listening: Truly reacting to her co-stars rather than just waiting for her turn to speak.

It is what elevated her from a child star reading lines to a true artist living in the moment.

The Power of an On-Screen Family

A massive part of Dayang’s success and emotional groundedness over the years has been the incredible support system on set.

Working closely with Singaporean media icons Nurul Aini (who plays her mom, Durrani) and Fir Rahman (who plays her dad) was essentially a decade-long masterclass.Balqis affectionately calls them “Aunty Nurul” and “Uncle Fir,” showing just how close they became when the cameras stopped rolling.

Even when filming got exhausting for the high-stakes legal spin-off Durrani, she notes that the duo always kept the energy on set incredibly lively and warm. Shooting family scenes easily became her favorite part of the job, acting as a safe, comforting escape from the usual industry pressures.

This supportive environment was a lifesaver during her toughest scenes. Whenever Dayang struggled to access the dark emotions needed for Nabilah’s trauma, Nurul and Fir would step in as patient mentors. They would sit down, break the scene apart together, and guide her safely through the emotional hurdles.

Ultimately, this bond taught Dayang the greatest lesson of her career: acting is never a solo gig. A hit show relies entirely on teamwork, mutual trust, and genuine chemistry. It is a lesson in collaboration that Dayang Balqis keeps close to her heart, both on new television sets and in her everyday adult life.

Catch Durrani streaming on both Netflix and Mewatch.

The Fifth Parlour would like to thank MediaCorp and Dayang Nur Balqis for this opportunity.