Mindy Kaling with co-stars Chris Messina, right, and Ed Weeks, left

Although she was offered a writing role by the producer of SNL, Lorne Michaels, she had to turn it down as she'd promised the producer of The Office, Greg Daniels, she'd only accept a performing part.

"That had been the dream of mine, and I didn't get it. Lorne Michaels thought I was funny and offered me a job as a writer… But Greg said: 'I won't let you go because you have a job here, and you're an actress.' It was heartbreaking to fly there and fly back, and kinda know that I didn't get it, and shut that door."

When asked in the interview about her profanity-laden response to being questioned on women of colour on her show ("I'm a fucking Indian woman who has her own fucking network television show"), she said that she regrets swearing.

"I learned that if you have something important to say, you shouldn't swear, because when it's taken out of context it seems like you're out of control and you're furious."

However, she does recognise the importance of being a role model and understands that she is someone to whom other minority girls can look up to.

"I get angry with people in the public eye who say they're not a role model, and they don't want people to look up to them. Because it's incorrect. It's important for me to be someone people look up to – most directly, minority girls who want to do what I do. Maybe it's narcissistic, but I think it's important."

And for fans of the show there's good news: The Mindy Project returns later this month on E4. Set your reminders now.

Mindy Kaling's 5 best quotes:

On being asked why there weren't more minorities represented on her show: "I look at shows on TV, and this is going to just seem defensive, but I'm just gonna say it: 'I'm a fucking Indian woman who has her own fucking network television show, OK?'"

From Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?: "There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it."

"I say if you love something, set it in a small cage and pester and smother it with love until it either loves you back or dies."

On Instagram trolls: "It's like, I went to college. How could I be offended by someone who talks about what you look like? I wouldn't even deem you a person I'd speak to."

"Sometimes you just have to put on lip gloss and pretend to be psyched."

Mindy Kaling: 'calling me chubby cannot hurt me in the way it does millions of women'