‘The Simpsons’ resurrects Apu after nearly a decade of silence

The Simpsons resurrects Apu Nahasapeemapetilon in a Halloween Treehouse of Horror episode, reviving the Kwik-E-Mart operator after a long silence. Apu and his wife Manjula return, voiced by Sunil Malhotra and Janina Gavankar, the first time South Asian American actors have officially voiced the characters. The revival is framed by producers as a thoughtful reintegration rather than a mere cameo; Malhotra and Gavankar described the comeback as Apu’s homecoming in a joint Instagram post. Earlier in 2018, the show had obliquely acknowledged the controversy around Apu without addressing it directly. The comeback follows years of debate over Apu’s portrayal, sparked by Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu, which argued the character relied on stereotypes. Kondabolu welcomed the casting change and praised the move as addressing representation, while noting the broader conversation his film started. Hank Azaria, who previously voiced Apu, stepped away in 2020 as The Simpsons shifted to casting actors of color for characters of their own background. Executive producer Matt Selman said the team wanted to let Apu evolve and remain a presence on the show. The revival has been embraced by many in the South Asian community and marks a new chapter in The Simpsons’ approach to representation.