'The Simpsons' resurrects Apu after nearly a decade of silence

The Simpsons resurrected Apu Nahasapeemapetilon in the Halloween-themed Treehouse of Horror, decades after he first spoke onscreen and years after the character was largely sidelined amid debates over representation. In the latest installment, Apu and his wife Manjula return with a substantive plot, voiced by Sunil Malhotra and Janina Gavankar, marking the first time Indian American actors portray the roles on the show. Malhotra and Gavankar described the moment in a joint Instagram post as a homecoming and reclamation for the character. The comeback follows a years-long conversation triggered by Hari Kondabolu's 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu, which spotlighted the stereotype of Apu as the quintessential Indian immigrant convenience-store owner. Kondabolu has said he does not seek cancellation but welcomed a reframing; he praised The Simpsons for a clever solution in hiring new actors, and for evolving the character. The show’s decision in 2020 to stop using white actors for characters of color, including the previous Apu portrayal by Hank Azaria, also framed the transition. Executive producer Matt Selman stated the goal was to make Apu smarter and to let him evolve, with hope that the character will appear again. Apu’s future on The Simpsons now appears to be ongoing rather than a one-time return.