Big, Bold, And Badass! 'Fabulous Over Forty' Festival Puts Menopause & Midlife In The Spotlight

The vibe at Fabulous Over Forty wellness festival at The Lalit Mumbai was absolutely electric, as women from across the world came together to celebrate midlife, strength, science, and self-care like never before. Curated by SheThePeople and Gytree, it is India’s boldest summit, designed to empower women to embrace this transformative stage of life with joy, sisterhood, boldness, and style. Because why should menopause mean a pause on fun?

Fabulous Over Forty: #PauseIsPower

For the 35 and curious, the 45 and adjusting, or the 52 and searching for clarity, the Fabulous Over Forty was an invitation to a community that celebrates midlife in all its power and potential. The full-day event featured candid conversations with influential figures, such as actors Dia Mirza and Tisca Chopra, discussions with experts like Dr Nozer Sheriar and Nicole Linhares Kedia, and hands-on wellness workshops like face yoga and power lunch.

Beyond the clinical jargon and snoozy lectures, Fabulous Over Forty spotlighted menopause with raw stories, unapologetic conversations, expert discussions, and immersive experiences that make real women in midlife feel seen and heard. The tagline, #PauseIsPower says it all.

“For too long, menopause has been left out of public health conversations. We want to bring it out of the shadows and into the spotlight — not just as a health issue, but as a life stage full of power, potential, and purpose,” said Shaili Chopra, Founder of Gytree & SheThePeople. 

In her introduction speech, Shaili expressed, "The spirit of give and take should really be the spirit of this festival today... We've set up this entire power-packed course for you to hear lots of voices and different perspectives, so that people can think of women in different life stages differently."

What Went Down

Menopause stories and experiences from celebrities and real women alike

In a front-row dialogue powered by Gytree, actor Dia Mirza and filmmaker Sakshi Mishra engaged in a conversation with Shaili Chopra, exploring how women’s stories, when told authentically, can shape culture and community. Mirza praised Shaili for putting together the festival and amplifying stories of women in midlife.

"I want to acknowledge how amazing you are for bringing all these women together and having this conversation. I feel it is so important to put a spotlight on how fabulous women truly are, under and over forty!" she expressed. 

The actress also spoke about how far the entertainment industry has come in female representation beyond pigeonhole roles. "I started working in cinema at a time when the only women on a film set were the lead actress, her assistants, a hairdresser, and maybe dancers. The predominant voice on film sets was male," she recounted. 

"But what has truly brought a shift in not just the way we're viewing women on screen but also being them off-screen. That perception has been built meticulously by the increased number of women on the crew. We have more women writers, directors, producers, editors, etc," Mirza said.

In a fireside chat, actors Tisca Chopra and Juhi Babbar spoke with Shaili about midlife experiences like change, cycles, pauses, and powerful restarts of the female body. Tisca made a powerful point about celebrating her truest self and not chasing unrealistic societal standards. "This is my size, and I am not gonna be thinner. If that's your expectation, go find someone else," she boldly exclaimed.

Industry experts discuss "the pause"

In a panel called 'The Science of Her', wellness professionals, including gynaecologist Dr Sudeshna Ray, nutritionist and author Shonali Sabherwal, radiologist and menopause expert Dr Sheetal Gagrani, and sexual health coach Pallavi Barnwal, spoke to journalist and entrepreneur Mugdha Kalra about the medical truths of midlife and beyond. 

Pallavi discussed the different ups and downs of sexuality and sexual health, libido, and pleasure for women during menopause. She emphasised, "Sexual journeys are part of wellness and we need to recognise that," throwing light on a topic that is rarely addressed in conversations around midlife.

A session called 'M-Brace', with Nawaz Modi Singhania, Fitness Entrepreneur; Dr Nozer Sheriar, Menopause Expert; and Dr Rohita Shetty, Medical Affairs Head, Abbott India, aimed to take menopause conversations out of the 'hush hush', spotlighting how movement and nutrition can impact our midlife wellness.

Recounting her own experience with (peri)menopause, Nawaz shared, "It is said that when you are regularly active, you will suffer very few perimenopause symptoms, if any at all... After all these years of talking to my clients about this, I was always curious what's gonna happen when I hit that stage myself. And I don't know when I went through perimenopause, and I did not have any signs or symptoms. I had no brain fog, no weight (fluctuation), no hot flashes, even though it had been almost a year since I had worked out. So lifestyle matters. Everything adds up."

In a panel called 'The Beauty Code', Nicole Kedia, Nutritionist & health coach; Jaishree Sharad, Cosmetic Dermatologist; Namrata Soni, celebrity makeup artist and co-founder of Simply Nam Beauty; and Rohit Khilnani, Veteran Journalist, discussed what strength, stamina, and nourishment mean beyond trends, aesthetics, and timelines.

Celebrating impact

Shivani Malik, Director Marketing, Da Milano; Roopa Kudva, Former Head, Crisil & Omidyar Network India; Mukeeta Jhaveri, Director, UTI Mutual Fund Trustee Company & St. Jude India Childcare; and Swati Sapna, Director- unscripted series, Netflix spoke with Sandeep Bhushan, Board Member, Advisor & Former Business Head, Meta India, about the future of the health economy.

In another interesting panel, Chhavi Mittal, Cancer Survivor & Creator; Renu Rakheja, Nutritionist Influencer; Shazia Iqbal, Film Director; and Kavyal Sedanni, Psycho spiritual healer, spoke to author Sudha Menon about how women are redefining influence, and writing compelling chapters in this phase of life. 

Shazia spoke about how storytelling is changing with more women, across age groups, entering the scene. "A lot of women have started coming up in positions of power in the entertainment industry, and that facilitates growth. Because ek aurat upar aati hai toh apne saath chaar ko upar leke jati hai (one woman at the top can bring four more to the top). There are so many female producers right now, compared to when I started, and that is what helps to see that it's great to have a woman as directors, screenwriters, showrunners, etc."

In a dynamic conversation, Dianna Moore, Faculty, Harvard University; Bianca Best, Author & Coach; Dipika Trehan, TEDx Speaker & Leadership Mentor; Shaili Chopra; and India Gary Martin, founder of ACT3, discussed the interconnected realities of caretaking, career transitions, relationships, financial fitness, wisdom, shifting priorities, and health.

Interactive experiences

The Fabulous Over Forty festival also brought immersive and engaging sessions like a 30-minute Face Yoga Flow session by Savitu Singh, specifically designed for women in their 40s and beyond. Simple, fun, effective face yoga techniques, combined with mindful skincare, this session aimed to reduce tension, rejuvenate the skin, and empower you to look and feel your best.

In a power lunch with Dimple Bawri, founder of Nirā balance, we deep dived into what it really takes to support women’s bodies through nutrition, science, and seasonality.

Menopause no longer a taboo

As the day unfolded at Fabulous Over Forty, it became clear that menopause is no longer a whispered topic; it’s a movement, a community, and a transformative phase of life. For every woman, whether learning, adjusting, exhausted, or embracing the journey fully, the festival was a reminder that midlife can be a powerful chapter waiting to be owned.

As the festival drew to a close, the message was clear: midlife is not a decline, but a new chapter to reclaim strength, rewrite narratives, and reconnect with oneself and others. It was a reminder to every woman that this phase of life is not about hiding, but about stepping into your fullest potential, feeling stronger in those boxing gloves, slaying in that red lipstick, and owning the stage in those high heels! Because here, #PauseIsPower.