The Simpsons Revives Apu With Indian American Voice Actors

After nearly a decade away from speaking roles, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has returned to The Simpsons with Indian American voice actors Sunil Malhotra and Janina Gavankar taking over the roles of Apu and his wife, Manjula. The characters reappeared in a Halloween-themed episode released Sunday, marking a new chapter in the animated series' long-running debate over South Asian representation.

The return follows years of criticism over Apu's portrayal as an Indian immigrant who operates a convenience store and speaks with a pronounced accent. The controversy intensified after comedian Hari Kondabolu released his 2017 documentary, The Problem With Apu, examining the character's impact on South Asian Americans.

Malhotra, a veteran voice-over artist, and Gavankar, known for her work on The Morning Show, welcomed the opportunity in a joint Instagram post.

"Bringing Apu back feels like a reclamation. It truly IS his homecoming," Malhotra and Gavankar said.

The casting change follows the departure of Hank Azaria, the white actor who previously voiced Apu. Azaria stepped away from the role after the documentary drew renewed attention to concerns that the character reinforced racial stereotypes, although he continued voicing other characters on the show.

Kondabolu's documentary featured interviews with South Asian celebrities, including Kal Penn, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Hasan Minhaj. Participants described childhood experiences of being bullied and called Apu as an insult, raising questions about the consequences of limited representation in mainstream American television.

Bhoomi Thakore, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut, said the character's original portrayal offered a narrow image of Indian Americans, particularly when Apu first appeared in 1990.

Executive producer Matt Selman said the show's creative team wanted to reintroduce the character while allowing him to develop.

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

He also praised Malhotra's contribution and indicated that Apu would appear in future episodes.

"We're excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future," Selman said.

Kondabolu, who confirmed to The Associated Press that he had not discussed the comeback with the show's producers, welcomed the decision. He said the documentary had helped initiate a wider public discussion about race and representation.

"I'm also still proud of the public conversation about race and representation my documentary started," Kondabolu said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

He also expressed hope that the renewed attention would end the hostile messages he had received over the years.

"Finally, I'm hoping this stops all the hatemail in many languages that has been sent my way over the past decade," Kondabolu said.

The series previously addressed the controversy in a 2018 episode, when Lisa Simpson questioned changing attitudes toward older portrayals. The scene ended with a shot of a framed photograph of Apu, a response that critics considered insufficient because it did not directly engage with the concerns raised by Kondabolu's documentary.

In a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Azaria explained why he had decided to stop voicing Apu.

"It just didn't feel right," Azaria said.

Later in 2020, The Simpsons announced that white actors would no longer voice characters of color. The production subsequently recast Black characters Carl Carlson and Dr. Julius Hibbert with Black actors.

Amar Shah, an author and producer who previously wrote about his personal connection to Apu, has argued that the character also holds sentimental significance for some South Asian Americans. Shah recalled associating Apu's work as a convenience store owner with his own Indian father and his childhood in Florida.

"Apu even now is a character that I wouldn't mind my kids seeing represented because they'll see aspects of themselves and of their own grandparents," Shah said.

He acknowledged that other South Asian viewers could have different perspectives while emphasizing the personal memories associated with the character.

"I can totally empathize with someone of South Asian origin having a different POV [point of view] than me but this is my childhood. This is my story," Shah said.

After watching the new episode, Shah said Malhotra's performance did not fundamentally change his perception of Apu. He also suggested that introducing the casting change earlier might have been preferable.

"Obviously, there's a different voice, tenor, texture and all that. But, the character is always going to be there, his genuine humanity," Shah said.

Shah's response comes amid concerns about rising hostility toward South Asians and Indian Americans. Stop AAPI Hate and other research groups have documented increases in online racist slurs and threats targeting these communities in recent years.

Recent incidents cited in the Associated Press report include Texas Railroad Commission candidate Bo French, a Republican, posting a photograph of South Asian University of Texas students cheering at a football game and describing them as a problem. Separately, a man was charged the previous week with planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple outside Chicago.

Shah welcomed the show's decision to reconsider Apu's portrayal against this broader backdrop of discrimination and scrutiny of South Asian Americans' place in American society.