India, March 8 -- In performing art, artistes suffer many personal and professional setbacks but as 'the show must go on', they just continue. On International Women's Day, we talk to three performing artistes of Lucknow about the biggest challenges they faced.

For a professional dancer, to stop performing is the biggest fear, and Kathak dancer Neha Singh Mishra went through that pause when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and autoimmune disease.

"In my early 30s then, it came as a rude shock and when chemotherapy started, I started losing hair and everything went for a toss. I have two small children and dance paused. I am married in a Kathak gharana and my husband Pandit Anju Mishra is a kathak guru.

To support me, he shaved his ...