Watch heartwarming video of Pune matchmaking event showing 'people in 60s, 70s and even 80s smiling like teenagers'

Don't miss 'wholesome' clip from a matchmaking event where participants, many widowed or divorced, said they were looking for companionship — not just marriage.

In a world often obsessed with youthful romance, a recent matchmaking event in Pune proved that the desire for connection had no expiry date. Former VJ and lifestyle and travel content creator Shenaz Treasury in a January 6 Instagram video shared a glimpse into a matchmaking event where silver-haired participants — some even in their 70s and 80s — found themselves 'smiling like teenagers' at the prospect of new beginning.

‘They were finally meeting someone again’

The Pune event, designed specifically for those aged 50 and above, touched a chord across social media, highlighting a demographic often overlooked by the modern dating app culture. “So wholesome,” someone commented on Shenaz's post. Another said, “I still don’t get it why some kids don’t accept this… marriage is ultra personal thing… parents should accept child’s wish and vice versa... this video is so beautiful.”

Shenaz wrote in her caption: “Send this to your single friends and let them know – there is hope!!! I walked into a matchmaking event in Pune and it made me cry. People in their 60s, 70s, even 80s, smiling like teenagers because they were finally meeting someone again. Some had lost spouses. Some had gone through painful divorces. All of them just wanted companionship, laughter, and a hand to hold.”

Seeking conversations, not just marriage

While traditional matchmaking often focuses on family lineage and financial status, the participants at the Pune meet-up were looking for something far simpler: emotional support. Shenaz's video captured men and women candidly discussing the heavy silence of loneliness that follows a divorce or the death of a spouse. For many, the goal wasn't necessarily a traditional marriage, but a partner to talk to, travel with, and share life's small moments.

Shenaz wrote in her caption: “No religion, caste, class, money talks – all they were looking for was laughter and play and love. Society tells us love has an expiry date. It does not. Love does not retire. Love does not get old. Even older people need love and companionship! Watching them find hope again was one of the most beautiful things I have seen. If you ever wonder what happens to people who are single later in life, this is it. These people chose courage. They choose connection. They choose to try again. And it is magic. You could be widowed, divorced, alone. And still full of love. This gave me hope.”

Breaking the stigma of 'living for others'

A common theme among the attendees was the transition from a life of duty, often as a parent, to a life of personal joy. Many women shared stories of spending decades solely focused on raising children — only to find themselves in an empty nest once those children moved abroad or started their own families.

One woman, divorced since 1999, explained that she waited until her children were settled in the US before seeking a 'laughing and cheerful' partner for herself. A man shared the heartbreaking loss of his wife during the Covid-19 pandemic. Realising his children had their own lives to lead, he decided to seek a companion to share the things he felt he couldn't discuss with his kids. The event even featured a couple who met at a previous session; they said that they married three months ago after a year-long live-in relationship.

The event served as a powerful reminder that the need for a 'hand to hold' remains constant throughout life. By choosing courage over isolation, these seniors are rewriting the narrative of ageing, and highlighting that finding love at this stage was like starting a new chapter in a book you thought was finished. For the attendees in Pune, the story was truly far from over — it was just getting a second, more joyful wind.

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