Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has his voice back. “The Simpsons” brought the Kwik-E-Mart owner back as a speaking character Sunday night for the first time in nearly nine years, with actor Sunil Malhotra replacing Hank Azaria. The reveal came in “Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening,” the third episode of Season 38 on Fox. Apu last spoke on the show in the October 2017 episode “The Serfsons.” Producers kept Malhotra’s hiring tightly secret until the episode aired.
Azaria voiced Apu for close to three decades. He stepped away in 2020, after comedian Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary “The Problem With Apu” argued the character traded on demeaning stereotypes of Indian Americans, and after the show said white actors would no longer play characters of color. The series then kept Apu on screen but silent, and left open whether he would return.
Malhotra, a veteran voice actor, has credits in “The Legend of Korra,” “The Legend of Vox Machina,” “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” along with video games including “World of Warcraft,” “Halo: Reach” and “Fallout 4.” He said he studied what taking on the role would mean and talked with the producers to make sure the character was handled with more cultural care. “I can’t wait for fans to see more Apu,” he said.
Showrunner Matt Selman said the writers wanted to revive the character “in a smart, ‘Simpsons’-y way that allowed him to evolve.” The episode also reintroduced Apu’s wife, Manjula, now voiced by Janina Gavankar of “The Morning Show.”
Early reaction online leaned positive, with viewers thanking the show for the return and praising the representation of Indian Americans in the casting. Whether the criticism that drove Apu off the air has been answered is a separate debate. Kondabolu has not commented in the coverage reviewed, and the show has not said how large Apu’s role will be going forward.
Azaria, for his part, has spoken publicly about regretting the portrayal. He has said he wanted to apologize to Indian people for it and has described a long process of educating himself about the harm the character caused. With both Apu and Manjula back, the show appears to be bringing them back for more than one night, though Fox has not announced further appearances.
