Mindy Kaling gives a wink to news of ‘Mindy Project’s’ cancellation

While “Mindy Project” fans are reeling over news of the show’s cancellation and starting petitions for its resurrection, its namesake, Mindy Kaling, is taking it all in with a smile (and a wink).

When news broke Wednesday that the series had been canned by Fox and, in the same breath, was also seeking a move to Hulu for more seasons, fans of the modest-performing show didn’t know what to do with themselves.

Meanwhile, Kaling took to Instagram to coyly address the commotion.

“Hey guys, I’m in Montana, is anything happening in LA? #themindyproject,” Kaling captioned a video showing some scenery. At the end, she gave the camera a smile and a wink.

The video has amassed more than 30,000 “likes” and more than 3,500 comments.

“The Mindy Project” premiered in September 2012 to about 4.6 million viewers. And its numbers have dipped from there: Its recent Season 3 finale delivered 2.1 million total viewers.

Taking the show and its loyal fan base to Hulu would at least make sense. The streaming service is co-owned by Comcast’s NBCUniversal (in addition to Disney’s ABC Television Group and 21st Century Fox’s Fox Broadcasting Co.) and has become a second home to “The Mindy Project.”

Past seasons (totaling 67 episodes) are already available on the digital outlet, and it’s one of the top-performing scripted shows on the service.

When The Times spoke with Kaling ahead of “The Mindy Project’s” third season finale, the show’s fate seemed doomed.

“Maybe some people thought, ‘You should wrap it up just in case,’” Kaling said. “But I’m not that type of person who can operate under the assumption of failure. If it’s going to lead to more stories or it doesn’t, I’ll sort of face that when the time comes. I want to see them again. And I don’t want to write from the point of view of it ending, if I don’t believe this is the end.”

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