The Mindy Project Review: Mindy Embraces Her Indian Roots

It’s been widely observed that Mindy Lahiri doesn’t fit into the Indian culture because she’s so obsessed with pop culture instead. The Mindy Project addresses that in this new episode, going so far as to coin a new term to describe someone who’s brown on the outside and white on the inside as a “coconut.”

Neil is introduced as a potential love interest for Mindy who also happens to be her first Indian friend on the show. He’s the one who calls her a coconut but not in a derogatory way. He just has a different perspective on how young adult Indians can incorporate their heritage into their lives without becoming stereotypes. Jody really hit the nail on the head here when he was Mindy’s date to a dinner party with Neil’s friends and basically did his best Apu impersonation. Mindy shook her head so fast and shut him down because even she knew he was taking it too far.

The biggest takeaway from the episode was Mindy and Danny’s shared interest in Leo’s diverse cultures as he grows up. Danny already takes him to church and his Ma even has him in a baby confessions group, so Leo’s covered on the Catholic front. Danny’s also already planning his son’s first trip to Italy this year to meet his 3rd cousins and extended family so he’s all good on his father’s side. Conversely, Mindy never really cared too much about her Hindu religion half as much as Danny does about Catholicism. It was important to show the whole Lahiri family, Rishi included, because they were only ever exposed to the “white” Boston culture growing up.

I’m glad to see Mindy taking a stand for herself and for Leo when she organizes a mundane ceremony in which a baby’s head is shaved to “signify freedom from the past and moving into the future.” The symbolism could also be applied to Mindy’s character herself even if it’s only her son’s hair being shaved.

While Danny was mostly okay this episode, one thing he said rubbed me the wrong way. After he was initially mad about his son’s haircut (the invitation to which he declined because he wrote it off as another long Indian ceremony – ahem!) he said something like he’s not worried about Mindy passing Hinduism onto Leo. He’s more concerned about her causing him diabetes or other unhealthy genetic factors. Danny’s pride can often be considered arrogance and I’m seeing that more and more lately.

Last thing to note was Lauren Cohan’s first(?) guest star appearance as Ashley, a woman who both Jody and Morgan take an interest in. Jody writes her off when he learns she’s celibate until marriage, but yet when Morgan is totally cool with that and dates her anyway (while sleeping with Chelsea), Jody has a sudden change of heart. I think he was playing the nice, Southern gentleman act all along because he certainly made an impression on her. I’m curious to see how or if this relationship develops!