After years of backlash, Apu returns to ‘The Simpsons’ with a South Asian voice

After an eight-year hiatus, the Kwik-E-Mart owner from Springfield, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, has returned to The Simpsons, now voiced by Sunil Malhotra for the first time. Malhotra, an actor born in India and raised in the US, brought the character back in the episode titled "The Revengening". This change was kept under wraps until the episode aired. Malhotra described the moment on Instagram as a "reclamation," stating it was a "homecoming."

Apu has been a part of The Simpsons since 1990, running the Kwik-E-Mart and becoming one of the show's most beloved supporting characters. He was primarily voiced by Hank Azaria, who used an exaggerated Indian accent for the role. However, his last speaking appearance came in 2017 in the episode "The Serfsons" after a documentary called "The Problem With Apu" was released in 2017, which highlighted the racial stereotypes in the character's portrayal.

Azaria announced in 2020 that he would no longer voice Apu, later expressing on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast a desire to personally apologize to every Indian person in the US. Malhotra, an experienced voice and screen actor, was approached by his agent for a Simpsons audition and, upon learning it was for Apu, felt a mix of emotions, including trepidation and curiosity. He questioned whether the writers' room had evolved and if the show could honor Apu's past while bringing him into the modern era.

The new Apu was shaped through deep collaboration with showrunner Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos. Malhotra worked closely with them to ensure the character aligned with 2026's context. He hoped the new Apu would resonate with both longtime fans and younger South Asian viewers who may have stopped watching the show. Additionally, Apu's wife, Manjula, will now be voiced by Janina Gavankar, replacing Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille.