The Simpsons brings back Apu with a new voice

The Simpsons has brought Apu Nahasapeemapetilon back to a speaking role, with actor Sunil Malhotra taking over from Hank Azaria after years of silent appearances.

Malhotra made his debut in Sunday night’s US episode, Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening. Janina Gavankar, whose credits include The Morning Show, also joined the cast as Apu’s wife, Manjula.

The return ends a prolonged absence from dialogue for the Kwik-E-Mart owner, who remained a background presence after criticism of the character’s stereotypical portrayal of South Asian people.

Executive producer Matt Selman told Variety that Apu, Manjula and the Nahasapeemapetilon family would now appear more frequently.

“We love this character, and wanted to bring him back in a smart, ‘Simpsons’-y way that allowed him to evolve,” Selman said.

“We’re excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role, and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future.”

A closely guarded return

Producers kept the casting and Apu’s return under wraps, withholding advance screeners and using non-disclosure agreements during the episode’s table read and production.

The idea came from the episode’s credited writer, Nick Dahan, and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos. Selman described their pitch as “a brilliant way” to bring Apu back while acknowledging the controversy surrounding the character.

Malhotra’s screen and voice credits include Grey’s Anatomy, The Legend of Korra, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi and The Legend of Vox Machina.

Gavankar takes over as Manjula, who was previously voiced by Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille.

In a joint Instagram post with Gavankar, Malhotra described what the role meant to him.

“Bringing Apu back feels like a reclamation. It truly IS his homecoming,” he wrote.

Why Malhotra hesitated

Malhotra told Variety he initially had reservations about auditioning.

“When my agent called me about a Simpsons audition, I knew exactly what role it was for, and the idea actually made my stomach sink,” he said.

“But admittedly, part of me was also curious. It had been eight years since Apu had spoken on the show, and it got me thinking: Did the writers’ room look different now?

“Could they bring him back in a way that acknowledged and apologised for past mistakes? Could I make the character my own, and reclaim him in some way? And could they achieve all of that in an unmistakably Simpsons way that didn’t disappoint fans?”

He met with Selman and Mazariegos before accepting the role, describing the process as “a deeply collaborative experience”.

The controversy behind Apu’s silence

Comedian Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary, The Problem With Apu, focused on Apu's portrayal and examined the character’s impact on people of South Asian descent.

The documentary was screened and discussed in The Simpsons writers’ room. Azaria announced in 2020 that he would no longer voice Apu, later apologising during a 2021 appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast.

“I apologise for my part in creating that and participating in that,” Azaria said.

“Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologise. And sometimes I do.”

Apu continued to appear in Springfield without dialogue while producers considered his future. With Malhotra and Gavankar now cast, the family will return to speaking roles beyond the Halloween episode.