Mindy Kaling: Difference between revisions

{{short description|American actress, writercomedian, and comedianwriter (born 1979)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=JuneDecember 20232024}}

SheKaling first gained recognition starringfor asplaying [[Kelly Kapoor]] in the [[NBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'' (2005–2013), on which she also worked as a writer.<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112">{{cite news |last=Sittenfeld |first=Curtis |date=September 25, 2011 |title=A Long Day at 'The Office' With Mindy Kaling |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/magazine/a-long-day-at-the-office-with-mindy-kaling.html?hp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502141839/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/magazine/a-long-day-at-the-office-with-mindy-kaling.html?hp |archive-date=May 2, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2011 |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref> For her work on the seriesit, she was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series|Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series]]. She gained wider attention for creating, producing and starringplaying asthe Dr. Mindytitle Lahirirole in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]/Hulu sitcom ''[[The Mindy Project]]'' (2012–2017). She then created other showstelevision such as the ''[[Champions (American TVcomedy series)|Champions]]'', ''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral (miniseries)|Four Weddings and a Funeral]]'',including ''[[Never Have I Ever (TV series)|Never Have I Ever]]'' (2020–2023) and ''[[The Sex Lives of College Girls]]'' (since 2021).<ref name="auto">{{cite news |title=Mindy Kaling Has a New Show Coming to NBC |url=httphttps://time.com/4778338/mindy-kaling-champions-nbc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129071515/https://time.com/4778338/mindy-kaling-champions-nbc/ |archive-date=November 29, 2020 |access-date=March 9, 2018 |magazine=Time |language=en}}</ref>

Her film career includes voice roles in ''[[Despicable Me (film)|Despicable Me]]'' (2010), ''[[Wreck-It Ralph]]'' (2012), and ''[[Inside Out (2015 film)|Inside Out]]'' (2015) as well as live action roles in ''[[No Strings Attached (2011 film)|No Strings Attached]]'' (2011), ''[[The Five-Year Engagement]]'' (2012), ''[[A Wrinkle in Time (2018 film)|A Wrinkle in Time]]'' and(2018), ''[[Ocean's 8]]'' (2018), and ''[[Late Night (film)|Late Night]]'' (2019), the last of which she also wrote and produced. She wrote two memoirs both reaching [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2016/04/07/i-am-literally-living-the-dream-mindy-kaling-on-overcoming-prejudice-and-finding-success/?mcubz=1|title="I am literally living the dream": Mindy Kaling on overcoming prejudice and finding success|date=April 7, 2016|work=Women in the World in Association with The New York Times – WITW|access-date=September 27, 2017|archive-date=September 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927113757/http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2016/04/07/i-am-literally-living-the-dream-mindy-kaling-on-overcoming-prejudice-and-finding-success/?mcubz=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> She also received a [[Tony Award for Best Musical]] as a producer for the musical ''[[A Strange Loop]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Julia |date=June 12, 2022 |title=Tony Awards 2022 Live Updates: 'A Strange Loop' Wins Best Musical |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/06/12/theater/tony-awards |access-date=June 13, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613033252/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/06/12/theater/tony-awards |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012, Kaling founded the production company [[Kaling International]].<ref name="time">{{cite magazine |last1=Dockterman |first1=Eliana |title=TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2022: Kaling International |url=https://time.com/collection-post/6159385/mindy-kaling-production-company-interview |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]] |access-date=September 8, 2023 |date=March 30, 2022}}</ref>

KalingVera Mindy Chokalingam was born June 24, 1979, in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], to father Avudaiappan Chokalingam, and mother Swati Chokalingam (''née'' Roy-Sircar).<ref name="Parade">{{cite news|url=https://parade.com/167806/shawnamalcom/thoroughly-modern-mindy-kalings-house-rules|title=Thoroughly Modern Mindy Kaling|date=September 28, 2013|access-date=August 15, 2017|first=Shawna|last=Malcolm|work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]|archive-date=April 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417081001/http://parade.com/167806/shawnamalcom/thoroughly-modern-mindy-kalings-house-rules|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BostonGlobe-TMP-20122">{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/09/24/cambridge-native-mindy-kaling-was-inspired-mother-for-new-passion-project/L1g1S1TFZdYNETPGrsIddM/story.html|title=Mindy Kaling's mother inspired new TV 'Project'|last=Rodman|first=Sarah|date=September 25, 2012|work=[[Boston Globe]]|access-date=March 8, 2014|archive-date=March 9, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140309053053/http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/09/24/cambridge-native-mindy-kaling-was-inspired-mother-for-new-passion-project/L1g1S1TFZdYNETPGrsIddM/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She has an elder brother, Vijay Chokal-Ingam.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Riley|first=Naomi Schaefer|date=October 15, 2016|title=Mindy Kaling's family feud exposes America's cultural divide|url=https://nypost.com/2016/10/15/mindy-kalings-family-feud-exposes-americas-cultural-divide/|access-date=February 14, 2022|website=New York Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Nguyen|first=Michael D.|title=Mindy Kaling's Brother: I Posed As Black to Get Into Med School|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/mindy-kalings-brother-i-posed-black-get-med-school-n337026|access-date=February 14, 2022|website=www.nbcnews.com|date=April 7, 2015 |language=en}}</ref> Her parents are from India.<ref name="Jezebel-Q&A-20112">{{cite news|url=http://jezebel.com/5861783/interview-with-mindy-kaling|title=Mindy Kaling Visits Jezebel, Takes Your Questions|date=December 12, 2011|work=[[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]]|last1=Coen|first1=Jessica|access-date=January 28, 2015|archive-date=September 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903234434/http://jezebel.com/5861783/interview-with-mindy-kaling|url-status=live}}</ref>Thethe family immigrated to the United States in 1979, the same year Kaling was born.<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112"/> Kaling's mother died of [[pancreatic cancer]] in 2012.<ref name="BostonGlobe-Mom-Obit-20122">{{cite news|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?pid=155735053|title=Swati Chokalingam M.D.: Obituary|date=February 2, 2012|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=January 28, 2015}}</ref><ref name="FamilySearch-SSDI-20122">{{cite web|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KM8B-CQJ|title=Swati Chokalingam – United States Social Security Death Index|publisher=FamilySearch|access-date=January 28, 2015}}</ref><ref name="People-MomLove-20132">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/celebrity/mindy-kaling-my-late-mom-was-the-love-of-my-life/|title=Mindy Kaling: My Late Mom 'Was the Love of My Life'|last=Cosgrove Baylis|first=Shelia|date=November 12, 2013|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref>

Kaling has said she has never been called Vera, her first name,<ref name="ImproperBost-Office-20112"/> but has been referred to as Mindy since her mother was pregnant with her while her parents were living in [[Bengal]]. They were already planning to move to the United States and wanted, Kaling said, a "cute American name" for their daughter, and liked the name Mindy from the show ''[[Mork & Mindy]]''. Kaling graduated from [[Buckingham Browne & Nichols School|Buckingham Browne & Nichols]] in 1997. The following year, she entered [[Dartmouth College]], where she was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Dog Day Players and [[a cappella]] group The Rockapellas, and wrote for the ''[[Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern]],'' the college's humor magazine.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mindy-kaling-dartmouth-comic-strips_n_4598077|title=Here Are Mindy Kaling's Dartmouth Comic Strips|date=January 14, 2014|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|access-date=October 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.dartmouth.edu/jacko/about-us/jack-o-lantern-history/|title=Jack-O-Lantern History|work=The DartmouthJack-O-Lantern|date=April 3, 2011 |access-date=October 23, 2023}}</ref>

Kaling graduated from [[Buckingham Browne & Nichols School|Buckingham Browne & Nichols]] in 1997. The following year, she entered [[Dartmouth College]], where she was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Dog Day Players and [[a cappella]] group The Rockapellas, and wrote for the ''[[Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern]],'' the college's humor magazine.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mindy-kaling-dartmouth-comic-strips_n_4598077|title=Here Are Mindy Kaling's Dartmouth Comic Strips|date=January 14, 2014|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|access-date=October 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.dartmouth.edu/jacko/about-us/jack-o-lantern-history/|title=Jack-O-Lantern History|work=The DartmouthJack-O-Lantern|date=April 3, 2011 |access-date=October 23, 2023}}</ref> Kaling graduated from Dartmouth in 2001<ref name="Dartmouth-Graduation-20012">{{cite news|url=http://thedartmouth.com/2001/06/10/list-of-graduates|title=List of Graduates|date=June 10, 2001|work=[[The Dartmouth]]|quote=As "Vera Chokalingam"|last1=Dartmouth Staff|access-date=January 28, 2015|archive-date=May 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529093906/http://thedartmouth.com/2001/06/10/list-of-graduates/|url-status=dead}}</ref> with a bachelor's degree in playwriting.<ref name="Dartmouth-Office-20062">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedartmouth.com/2006/05/23/kaling-01-embarks-on-acting-writing-career-for-the-office|title=Kaling '01 embarks on acting, writing career for 'The Office'|date=May 23, 2006|work=The Dartmouth|last1=Swiss|first1=Zach|access-date=January 28, 2015|archive-date=January 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129103245/http://www.thedartmouth.com/2006/05/23/kaling-01-embarks-on-acting-writing-career-for-the-office/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She lists the comedy series ''[[Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist|Dr. Katz]]'', ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', ''[[Frasier]]'' and ''[[Cheers]]'' as early influences on her comedy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/10/magazine/mindy-kaling-late-night-diversity-comedy.html,%20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/10/magazine/mindy-kaling-late-night-diversity-comedy.html|title=Mindy Kaling on Not Being the Long-Suffering Indian Woman|last=Marchese|first=David|date=June 10, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 16, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

While a 19-year-old sophomore at Dartmouth, Kaling was an intern on ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]''.<ref name="YouTube-Conan-Intern-20122">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7f-R5ipL30 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211218/e7f-R5ipL30 |archive-date=December 18, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Mindy Kaling Was A Conan Intern – CONAN on TBS|date=November 7, 2012|publisher=[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]] [[YouTube]] channel|format=Video interview|last1=O'Brien|first1=Conan|access-date=January 28, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> She has said that she never saw a family like hers on TV, which gave her a dual perspective she uses in her writing.<ref name="NPR-Immigrants-20092">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102572670|title=On TV, Immigrants' Kids Mine Cultural Convergence|author-link=Neda Ulaby|last=Ulaby|first=Neda|date=February 4, 2009|publisher=[[NPR]]|work=[[Morning Edition]]|access-date=February 25, 2013}}</ref> She thinks the "everyone against me" mentality is what she learned as a child of immigrants.<ref name="NPR-Immigrants-20092" /> She named her ''Mindy Project'' character [[The Mindy Project|Mindy Lahiri]] after author [[Jhumpa Lahiri]].<ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://entertainment.time.com/2013/07/01/authors-share-their-all-time-favorite-summer-reads/slide/mindy-kaling/|title=Authors share their all-time favorite summer reads|date=June 28, 2013|access-date=February 20, 2015 |magazine= Time| first= Mindy| last= Kaling}}</ref> After college, she moved to [[Brooklyn, New York]].<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" /> She said one of her worst job experiences was as a production assistant for three months on the ''Crossing Over With [[John Edward]]'' psychic show.<ref name="ImproperBost-Office-20112">{{cite web|url=http://theoffice-us.livejournal.com/1322768.html|title=Mindy Kaling interview in Improper Bostonian|last=Soroff|first=Jonathan|work=[[The Improper Bostonian]]|access-date=September 23, 2011}}</ref> She described it as "depressing."<ref name="AVClub-Office-20072">{{cite news|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/mindy-kaling-14079|title=Mindy Kaling – Interview| date=April 4, 2007|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|last1=Phipps|first1=Keith|access-date=January 28, 2015}}</ref> During this same time, she performed [[stand-up comedy]].<ref name="NPR-Immigrants-20092"/>

Kaling devised her stage name after discovering while doing stand-up comedy that emcees would have trouble pronouncing her last name, Chokalingam, and sometimes made jokes about it.<ref name="NPR-Immigrants-20092" /> She toured solo and with [[Craig Robinson (actor)|Craig Robinson]], who was later a fellow cast member of ''The Office.''<ref name="WTF-Maron-20122">{{cite web |last1=Maron |first1=Marc |date=March 12, 2012 |title=Episode 261 – Mindy Kaling |url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_261_-_mindy_kaling |access-date=January 29, 2015 |publisher=WTFPod.com |format=Audio podcast}}</ref> In August 2002, she portrayed [[Ben Affleck]] in an [[off Broadway|off-Broadway]] play called ''Matt & Ben'',<ref name="NYTimes-BaM-Review-20032">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9b07e2d81031f931a2575bc0a9659c8b63|title=Theater Review; Bad Will Hunting, Armed With Venom Darts|date=August 12, 2003|work=[[The New York Times]]| last1= Weber| first1= Bruce| access-date= January 28, 2015}}</ref> which she co-wrote with her best friend from college, [[Brenda Withers]], who played [[Matt Damon]]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine named it one of their "Top Ten Theatrical Events of The Year", and it was "a surprise hit" at the 2002 [[New York International Fringe Festival]].<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" /> Initially, Withers and Kaling had, "for their own entertainment, mockingly pretended to be the best friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; that pretending spawned ''Matt & Ben'', the goofy play that reimagined how Damon and Affleck came to write the movie ''[[Good Will Hunting]]''."<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" />

Initially, Withers and Kaling had, "for their own entertainment, mockingly pretended to be the best friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; that pretending spawned ''Matt & Ben'', the goofy play that reimagined how Damon and Affleck came to write the movie ''[[Good Will Hunting]]''."<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" /> Kaling wrote a blog, ''Things I've Bought That I Love'',<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" /> which reemerged on her website on September 29, 2011.<ref name="OngoingConcerns-20122">{{cite web|url=http://theconcernsofmindykaling.com/ongoing-concerns| title= Ongoing Concerns| date= January 27, 2012|publisher=The Concerns of Mindy Kaling| format= Blog| last1= Kaling| first1= Mindy| access-date=January 28, 2015|url-status=usurped| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306085304/http://theconcernsofmindykaling.com/ongoing-concerns| archive-date= March 6, 2012}}</ref> She writewrote it under the name Mindy Ephron, "a name Kaling chose because she was amused by the idea of her 20-something Indian-American self as a long-lost [[Nora Ephron|Ephron]] sister."<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" />

On September 15, 2011, when her contract was set to expire at the end of Season 7, she signed a new contract to stay with the show for Season 8 and was promoted to full executive producer.<ref name="TVLine-Office-20112">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvline.com/2011/09/mindy-kaling-office-contract-promotion-exec-producer|title=Scoop: Mindy Kaling Gets Major Office Promotion&nbsp;— But There's a Twist!|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|date=September 15, 2011|work=[[TVLine]]}}</ref> Her [[Universal Television]] contract included a development deal for a new show (eventually titled ''The Mindy Project''), in which she appeared as an actress and contributed as a writer.<ref name="NYTimes-Office-20112" /> Kaling left ''The Office'' after the [[The Office (American season 9)|ninth-season]] episode "[[New Guys]]", but returned to guest-star in its [[Finale (The Office)|final episode]]. In 2011, Kaling published a memoir, ''[[Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)]]'', which appeared on the [[New York Times Best Seller list|''New York Times'' Best Seller list]].<ref name="NYTimes-BookDeal-20102">{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/after-office-hours-mindy-kaling-writes-a-book|title=After 'Office' Hours, Mindy Kaling Writes a Book|date=April 22, 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|last1=Itzkoff|first1=Dave|access-date=January 28, 2015|archive-date=September 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910154101/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/after-office-hours-mindy-kaling-writes-a-book/|url-status=live}}</ref> Her second book, ''[[Why Not Me? (book)|Why Not Me?]]'', covers the events that have happened in her life since 2011, and was published on September 15, 2015. It launched at #1 on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list.<ref name="Mindy Kaling – Mindy Kaling">{{Cite news| url= http://theconcernsofmindykaling.com/about-mindy/| title= Mindy Kaling| access-date= April 1, 2017| language= en-US| archive-date= May 12, 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170512204313/http://theconcernsofmindykaling.com/about-mindy/| url-status= deadusurped}}</ref> She published a third memoir, [[Nothing Like I Imagined|''Nothing Like I Imagined (Except For Sometimes)'']], with Amazon Original Stories in 2020.

Kaling and her fellow writers and producers of ''The Office'' were nominated five consecutive times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. In 2010, she was nominated with Daniels for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for the episode "Niagara."<ref name="Time100-20132">{{cite magazine|url=httphttps://time100.time.com/2013/04/18/time-100/slide/mindy-kaling/|title=The 2013 Time 100 – Mindy Kaling: Comedian and creator, 33|last=Helms|first=Ed|date=April 13, 2013|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> In a 2019 interview with ''Elle'' Magazine, Kaling spoke about the sexism she faced with the Television Academy, having had to go to great lengths to prove her contribution as a producer when the academy informed her she would be cut from the producer list because there were too many producers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 9, 2019 |title=Mindy Kaling Didn't Sign Up to Be a Role Model |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/a29340748/mindy-kaling-interview-2019/ |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=ELLEElle |language=en-us}}</ref> She said that to receive her rightful producing credit when ''The Office'' was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, "They made me, not any of the other producers, fill out a whole form and write an essay about all my contributions as a writer and a producer… I had to get letters from all the other male, white producers saying that I had contributed, when my actual record stood for itself."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reilly |first=Kaitlin |title=Mindy Kaling Calls Out The Emmys For Excluding Her In Favor Of The Office's White Male Staff |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/10/8549922/mindy-kaling-excluded-emmy-nomination-the-office |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}</ref> TheIn Emmys2011, rebuttedshe Kaling'splayed assertionthe inrole anof interviewShira, witha Refinerydoctor 29,who butis Kalinga clarifiedroommate and colleague of the main character Emma (played by [[Natalie Portman]]) in a''[[No seriesStrings ofAttached tweets(2011 thatfilm)|No sheStrings hadAttached]]''. consideredKaling heralso statementsmade an appearance as Vanetha in ''[[The Five-Year Engagement]]'' in necessary2012.

In February 2021, [[Max (streaming service)|HBO Max]] announced they had ordered the adult-oriented ''[[Scooby-Doo]]'' spin-off series ''[[Velma (TV series)|Velma]]'', with Kaling as executive producer as well as voicing the [[Velma Dinkley|titular character]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=White|first=Peter|date=February 10, 2021|title='Clone High' Reboot, Mindy Kaling 'Scooby-Doo' Spinoff 'Velma' & Pete Davidson Mars Comedy Set At HBO Max As Streamer Ramps Up Adult Animation|url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/clone-high-reboot-mindy-kaling-scooby-doo-spinoff-velma-pete-davidson-mars-comedy-hbo-max-adult-animation-1234690967/|access-date=July 23, 2021|website=Deadline|language=en-US|archive-date=February 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210163049/https://deadline.com/2021/02/clone-high-reboot-mindy-kaling-scooby-doo-spinoff-velma-pete-davidson-mars-comedy-hbo-max-adult-animation-1234690967/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Squires|first=Bethy|date=June 11, 2021|title=Mindy Kaling's Velma Will Be Without Scooby-Doo|url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/06/mindy-kalings-velma-will-be-without-scooby-doo.html|access-date=July 23, 2021|website=Vulture|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mondello|first=Bob|date=July 15, 2021|title=The Only 'New' Thing About Cross-Cultural Casting Is Who's Getting The Roles|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/07/15/1016048049/cross-cultural-casting-anne-boleyn-hamilton-othello-green-knight-bridgerton|access-date=July 23, 2021|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref> The series premiered on January 12, 2023, to mixed to negative reviews from critics.<ref name="slate">{{Cite web |url=https://slate.com/culture/2023/01/velma-mindy-kaling-hbo-max-review.html |title=HBO's Wokeified ''Scooby-Doo'' Reboot Achieves the Impossible |last=Goffe |first=Nadira |date=January 18, 2023 |access-date=January 19, 2023 |language=en-US |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119001037/https://slate.com/culture/2023/01/velma-mindy-kaling-hbo-max-review.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Telegraph">{{Cite news| issn = 0307-1235| last = Power| first = Ed| title = How Velma became the most hated TV show on TV| work = The Telegraph| access-date = January 19, 2023| date = January 18, 2023| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/velma-how-mindy-kalings-scooby-doo-update-became-hated-show/| archive-date = January 18, 2023| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230118175432/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/velma-how-mindy-kalings-scooby-doo-update-became-hated-show/| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Li |first1=Shirley |title=The Line That Velma Crossed |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2023/01/hbo-max-velma-review-mindy-kaling-backlash/672796/ |website=The Atlantic |access-date=January 24, 2023 |date=January 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123232455/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2023/01/hbo-max-velma-review-mindy-kaling-backlash/672796/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Velma''<nowiki/>'s fan reception was even more polarizing and got overwhelming negative reviews due to the humor and criticized its [[Metafiction|meta storytelling]], characterization, writing, and departures from the traditional ''Scooby-Doo'' format.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://screenrant.com/velma-show-review-bombed-imdb-rotten-tomatoes/ | title=Scooby-Doo Spinoff Velma Show Review-Bombed on IMDb & Rotten Tomatoes | website=[[Screen Rant]] | date=January 12, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Velma Becomes IMDB's Worst-Rated Animated TV Series Ever |url=https://www.pride.com/gay-tv/velma-worst-show-imdb-rating |access-date=January 23, 2023 |website=Pride.com |language=en |author=Henderson, Taylor |date=January 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123045645/https://www.pride.com/gay-tv/velma-worst-show-imdb-rating |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Francis |first1=Katie |title=Scooby-Doo spin-off Velma sparks huge backlash following show's debut |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a42618583/scooby-doo-velma-imdb-worst-rated-animation/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=January 24, 2023 |date=January 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123231850/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a42618583/scooby-doo-velma-imdb-worst-rated-animation/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="slate"/><ref name="Telegraph"/><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Losciale |first1=Marisa |title=HBO's ''Velma'' Series Slammed by Fans Following Season Premiere |url=https://parade.com/tv/hbo-velma-series-premiere-slammed-by-fans |magazine=Parade |access-date=January 29, 2023 |date=January 15, 2023}}</ref> ''Velma'' was later ranked by several publications as one of the worst television series of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cook|first=Meghan|title=10 of the best and 10 of the worst TV shows that came out this year|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-shows-of-2023-critic-ranking|access-date=January 1, 2024|website=[[Business Insider]]|archive-date=January 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101211627/https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-shows-of-2023-critic-ranking|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=December 28, 2023|title=The 10 worst TV shows of 2023, ranked|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/the-ten-worst-tv-shows-of-2023-ranked/|access-date=January 1, 2024|website=Digital Trends|archive-date=January 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101211627/https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/the-ten-worst-tv-shows-of-2023-ranked/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=TVLine|first=Team|date=December 5, 2023|title=2023 in Review: The 10 Worst Shows|url=https://tvline.com/lists/worst-tv-shows-2023-list/|access-date=January 1, 2024|website=TVLine|archive-date=December 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218235711/https://tvline.com/lists/worst-tv-shows-2023-list/|url-status=live}}</ref> That year, she was appointed as a board member along with historian June Li and [[Young Yang Chung]] for the Smithsonian's [[National Museum of Asian Art]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art Announces New Board Appointments: Actress Mindy Kaling and Art Historians June Li and Young Yang Chung |url=https://asia.si.edu/press-release/smithsonians-national-museum-of-asian-art-announces-new-board-appointments-3/ |access-date=February 17, 2023 |website=Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art |language=en-US}}</ref>

Kaling has three children: a daughter, Katherine, born in December 2017, a son, Spencer, born in September 2020 and a daughter, Anne, born in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C8m3wCwvdYz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |access-date=2024-06-June 24, 2024 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> She has kept the paternity of her children private.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/mindy-kaling-interview-2022/|title=The Metamorphosis of Mindy Kaling|magazine=Marie Claire|date=August 9, 2022|last=Prakash|first=Neha}}</ref> She is an adherent of [[Hinduism]] and has expressed her desire to give her children a Hindu upbringing.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/binge-watch/story/mindy-kaling-maitreyi-ramakrishnan-devi-she-was-perfect-choice-never-have-i-ever-1674318-2020-05-04 | title=Mindy Kaling on Maitreyi Ramakrishnan: She was the perfect choice for Never Have I Ever | date=May 4, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/mindy-kaling-on-never-have-i-ever-growing-up-hindu-and-showing-relatable-indian-women-on-screen/article61448676.ece&ved=2ahUKEwjg4JKS7bX_AhXhiv0HHU2cAhwQFnoECBgQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2xj1Ix2a-JsZXxRBGbSB_N | title=Mindy Kaling on 'Never Have I Ever', growing up Hindu, and showing relatable Indian women on screen | newspaper=The Hindu | date=April 24, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://americankahani.com/entertainment/no-church-for-my-daughter-the-significance-of-mindy-kalings-kind-of-hindu-identity/|title=No Church for My Daughter: The Significance of Mindy Kaling's 'Kind of Hindu' Identity|first=Bhargavi|last=Kulkarni|date=October 12, 2020}}</ref>

In 2012, Kaling was included in the ''[[Time (magazine)|Time100]]'' 100 list of the world's most influential people.<ref>{{Citation |last=Helms|first=Ed|year=2013|title=The 2013 TIME 100|magazine=Time|publisher=Time Inc.|location=New York|url=httphttps://time100.time.com/2013/04/18/time-100/slide/mindy-kaling/|access-date=August 30, 2017}}</ref> In 2014, she was named one of ''[[Glamour (magazine)|Glamour]]''{{'}}s Women of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Angelo|first=Megan|date=November 5, 2014|title=The Lady Boss: Mindy Kaling|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/mindy-kaling|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502121637/https://www.glamour.com/story/mindy-kaling|archive-date=May 2, 2020|access-date=October 9, 2020|website=Glamour}}</ref> On June 10, 2018, she received an [[honorary degree]] of [[Doctor of Humane Letters]] from [[Dartmouth College]] in [[Hanover, New Hampshire]].<ref>{{cite web|date=June 10, 2018|title=Mindy Kaling (Doctor of Humane Letters) – Dartmouth News|url=https://news.dartmouth.edu/news/2018/06/mindy-kaling-doctor-humane-letters|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502120522/https://news.dartmouth.edu/news/2018/06/mindy-kaling-doctor-humane-letters|archive-date=May 2, 2020|access-date=October 9, 2020|website=Dartmouth News}}</ref> In June 2024, the Los Angeles Times featured Kaling in its "L.A. Influential" series as a "creator who is leaving their mark" in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Subscribers |first=For |date=June 2, 2024-06-02 |title=The Creators: A Hollywood trailblazer, a gaming visionary, a horror genius ... |url=https://www.latimes.com/la-influential/story/2024-06-02/the-creators |access-date=2024-06-June 17, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> On August 21, 2024, she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of [[Kamala Harris]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Video: Mindy Kaling speaks at DNC - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/full-video-mindy-kaling-speaks-at-dnc/ |access-date=August 22, 2024 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

| rowspan="21" |''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'' || Season 1 || Episode 6 || "[[Hot Girl (The Office)|Hot Girl]]" ||

| rowspan="3" |Season 2 || Episode 1 || "[[The Dundies]]" ||

| rowspan=3|2006 || Episode 12 || "[[The Injury]]" ||

| Episode 18 || "[[Take Your Daughter to Work Day (The Office)|Take Your Daughter to Work Day]]" ||

| rowspan=2|Season 3 || Episode 6 || "[[Diwali (The Office)|Diwali]]" ||

| rowspan=2|2007 || Episode 15 || "[[Ben Franklin (The Office)|Ben Franklin]]" ||

| rowspan=2|Season 4 || Episode 10 || "[[Branch Wars]]" ||

| rowspan=2|2008 || Episode 15 || "[[Night Out (The Office)|Night Out]]" ||

| rowspan=4|Season 5 || Episode 9 || "[[Frame Toby]]" ||

| rowspan=5|2009 || Episode 16 || "[[Lecture Circuit|Lecture Circuit: Part 1]]" ||

| Episode 17 || "[[Lecture Circuit|Lecture Circuit: Part 2]]" ||

| Episode 19 || "[[Golden Ticket (The Office)|Golden Ticket]]" ||

| rowspan=4|Season 6 || Episode 4 & 5 || "[[Niagara (The Office)|Niagara]]" ||

| Episode 13 || "[[Secret Santa (The Office)|Secret Santa]]" ||

| rowspan=4|2010 || Episode 16 || "[[The Manager and the Salesman]]" ||

| Episode 22 || "[[Secretary's Day (The Office)|Secretary's Day]]" ||

| rowspan=3|Season 7 || Episode 5 || "[[The Sting (The Office)|The Sting]]" ||

| Episode 11 & 12 || "[[Classy Christmas]]" ||

| rowspan=2|2011 || Episode 21 || "[[Michael's Last Dundies]]" ||

| rowspan=2|Season 8 || Episode 10 || "[[Christmas Wishes (The Office)|Christmas Wishes]]" ||

| rowspan=5|2012 || Episode 17|| "[[Test the Store]]" ||

| rowspan=25|''[[The Mindy Project]]'' || rowspan=8|Season 1 || Episode 1 || "Pilot" ||

| Episode 2 || "Hiring and Firing" ||

| Episode 5 || "Danny Castellano Is My Gynecologist" ||

| Episode 8 || "Two is One" ||

| rowspan=6|2013 || Episode 12 || "Hooking Up Is Hard" ||

| Episode 13 || "Harry & Sally" ||

| Episode 16 || "The One That Got Away" ||

| Episode 24 || "Take Me With You" ||

| rowspan=5|Season 2 || Episode 1 || "All My Problems Solved Forever..." ||

| Episode 8 || "You've Got Sext" ||

| rowspan=5|2014 || Episode 13 || "L.A." ||

| Episode 14 || "The Desert" ||

| Episode 22 || "Danny and Mindy" ||

| rowspan=4|Season 3 || Episode 1 || "We're a Couple Now, Haters!" ||

| Episode 6 || "Caramel Princess Time" ||

| rowspan=4|2015 || Episode 15 || "Danny Castellano Is My Nutritionist" ||

| Episode 21 || "Best Man" ||

| rowspan=4|Season 4 || Episode 1 || "While I Was Sleeping" ||

| Episode 13 || "When Mindy Met Danny" ||

| rowspan=3|2016 || Episode 14 || "Will They or Won't They" ||

| Episode 18 || "Bernardo & Anita" ||

| Season 5 || Episode 1 || "Decision 2016" ||

| rowspan=3|2017 || rowspan=3|Season 6 || Episode 1 || "Is That All There Is?" ||

| Episode 9 || "Danny in Real Life" ||

| Episode 10 || "It Had To Be You" ||

| rowspan="3" |''[[Champions (American TV series)|Champions]]'' || rowspan="3" |Season 1 || Episode 1 || "Pilot" ||

| Episode 2 || "I Think I'm Gonna Tolerate It Here" ||

| Episode 4 || "My Fair Uncle" ||

| rowspan="2" |''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral (miniseries)|Four Weddings and a Funeral]]'' || rowspan="2" |Season 1 || Episode 1 || "Kash With a K" ||

| Episode 2 || "Hounslow" ||

| rowspan="3" |''[[Never Have I Ever (TV series)|Never Have I Ever]]'' || rowspan="2" |Season 1 || Episode 1 || "Pilot" ||

| Episode 4 || "...felt super Indian" ||

| rowspan=3|2009 || rowspan=3|''[[The Office: Subtle Sexuality]]''||||Episode 1||''Creative Differences''||rowspan=3|Mini-webseries

| rowspan=4|2010 || ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'' || Season 6 || Episode 23 || "[[Body Language (The Office)|Body Language]]" ||

| rowspan=3|''[[List of The Office (American TV series) episodes#The 3rd Floor (2010)|The Office: The 3rd Floor]]''||||Episode 1||''Moving On''||rowspan=3|Mini-webseries

| rowspan=3|2011 || ''The Office''|| Season 7 || Episode 21 || "[[Michael's Last Dundies]]" ||

|rowspan=2|''[[List of The Office (American TV series) episodes#The Girl Next Door (2011)|The Office: The Girl Next Door]]''||||Episode 1||The Story of Subtle Sexuality||rowspan=2|Mini-webseries