The series follows obstetrician/gynecologist Mindy Lahiri as she tries to balance her personal and professional life,[4] surrounded by quirky co-workers in a small medical practice in New York City.

Mindy explores life with the help of her co-workers: Danny Castellano, her best friend and love interest, whose religious sensibilities occasionally cause some tension; Jeremy Reed, an English physician who manages the practice; Peter Prentice, another physician who was a fraternity jock while attending Dartmouth; Morgan Tookers, a wacky, yet lovable registered nurse and an ex-con; Tamra Webb, a blunt nurse; and Beverley Janoszewski, the libidinous older office receptionist.

[8] On August 27, 2012, the pilot episode was made available to view online on various sites including Fox, in an attempt to garner interest in the series.

[18] In mid-March, Chris Messina joined the cast as Dr. Danny Castellano, an arrogant doctor who works at the practice.

[19] Shortly after, Anna Camp boarded the series as Gwen Grandy, a stay-at-home mom and Mindy's best friend.

The second change of the season, which was first reported on November 20, 2012, saw Amanda Setton's role also eliminated entirely and Anna Camp downgraded to a recurring cast member.

[25] The second change, which occurred just prior to the production of the season's fifth episode, resulted in Adam Pally also being upgraded to a series regular role.

[30] In June 2016, it was announced that Chris Messina would not be returning as a series regular for season five, but would instead appear as a guest star.

[31] The Mindy Project received positive reviews from critics, with many highlighting Kaling's performance and her unique character, as well as the writing and directing.

The site's critical consensus reads, "Mindy Kaling earns consistent laughs with wit, charm and physical comedy, as she and her cast grow into well-rounded and familiar, albeit peculiar, characters.

[38] The Mindy Project has been the object of scrutiny not only from traditional media forms but also from feminists and people of color, who often weigh in on the show's decisions in casting and writing.

At the end of the first season, Jezebel posted an article called "Mindy Kaling Only Makes Out with White Guys",[39] a critique of the casting of romantic leads on the show.

[41] Before the third season began airing, Kaling received criticism for a comment in a Flare article entitled "She's the Boss",[42] in which she stated that the show would not address abortion, as "it would be demeaning to the topic to talk about it in a half-hour sitcom."