Shohail Furtado, a 26-year-old B.Com graduate, turned his passion for mixing drinks into a creative venture with his page 'cocktails_n_cookies'. What started as a hobby for making party drinks evolved into a platform blending humor, drink recipes, and a dash of social activism.
How it began
It’s a funny story, actually. For parties, I’d usually mix drinks for my friends, and almost every time, they’d love it so much that they’d call me the next day asking for the recipe. I thought to myself, “Why not put these recipes online?” And that’s how cocktails_n_cookies was born.
Creative process
Honestly, I’m a trial-and-error kind of guy. I look at ingredients and think, “Hey, that might go well with this flavor,” and then I try it out. If the drink turns out good, it makes its way onto my page! There’s no strict creative process. I shoot, keeping it short and simple, and I only edit the reel thumbnails. I use a clean white background, some clip art, and witty text so people can quickly find the recipes they want. It also helps create a neat theme when you open my page.
The NSFW jokes
When I’m shooting videos, I imagine how I’d be when making a drink with friends. That’s why you get all the NSFW jokes. For me, making a drink should be fun, and it’s something you should enjoy with friends or loved ones. I try my best to get that vibe across in the videos.
Cocktail activism
I added the term “Cocktail Activism” to my page because I wanted to highlight the social, economic, cultural, and environmental issues Goa is facing. Initially, I planned to do this through “cocktails_n_cookies”, but later, I decided to take it up on my personal handle, @furtado_shohail. This was mostly self-motivated, but my friends and family supported and encouraged me to go for it.
Learning on the fly
I haven’t had any formal training in brand building. Everything I’m doing is on the fly, learning as I go. I hope to build a solid brand for cocktails_n_cookies and myself. This is just the start of that journey.
The unscripted approach
I don’t have a rigid process because I don’t follow a script—it just doesn’t come naturally to me. I decide how I want the video to look, start shooting, and the jokes flow naturally as they come to mind. It’s a very spontaneous process.
Dealing with burnout
This part is tough, and I’ve slipped up plenty of times. Burnout is real, and when it happens, it’s just not okay—it’s necessary to take a break. Chasing the algorithm too much can hurt the quality of your content. So, I step back, relax, let my creativity recharge, and then come back stronger. That’s what works for me.
Old soul vibes
I love listening to old Konkani and Portuguese songs—it’s like an escape for me. It makes me think of the old Goa life. I also enjoy going for a swim at the beach. I’ve become a bit of an old soul now, giving up my old gaming hobby for outdoor activities. To be honest, I see that as an upgrade.
Trust the process, be yourself
Going viral doesn’t guarantee success. You’ve got to do what you love, be yourself, and trust the process. It’s crucial to stay true to who you are because this is not a one-night affair. If you pretend to be someone else, it’ll catch up to you eventually.
Doing things differently
One investment I wish I’d made earlier is my Bluetooth mic set. It improved my video quality a lot and gave me the freedom to shoot in more places.
Beachbombers Bounty
One of my favorite recipes is “Beachbombers Bounty”. It’s a simple mix of coconut rum, peach liqueur, mango juice, and blue curaçao (use the alcohol or blue Gatorade, not the syrup).
Goa’s issues
On my personal account, @furtado_shohail, I talk about the issues Goa is facing. My goal is to spread awareness about the unfortunate events happening in our state, especially with the youth. Corruption in Goa has reached an all-time high, and sadly, we’ve come to accept it and look the other way. I have a deep emotional attachment to our state, and it hurts me to see it being destroyed, both culturally and environmentally. Through my personal page, I hope to spark change and make a difference in Goa.
