Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has his voice back.
The Simpsons has brought the Kwik-E-Mart owner back into dialogue, with Sunil Malhotra taking over the role previously played by Hank Azaria.
As Variety exclusively reported, Malhotra made his debut in the Halloween episode ‘The Revengening’, which aired in the US on 18 October. Janina Gavankar also joined as Apu’s wife, Manjula.
Apu’s last speaking appearance was in the October 2017 episode ‘The Serfsons’. He had still appeared on screen in the intervening years, but without dialogue, leaving the future of one of Springfield’s longest-serving characters unresolved.
Manjula was previously voiced by Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille. Gavankar, whose screen credits include The Morning Show, now takes over that part alongside Malhotra.
Malhotra brings a substantial animation and gaming résumé to the role. His credits include The Legend of Korra, Monster High, The Casagrandes, Mortal Kombat 1, Valorant and League of Legends, alongside live-action appearances in Grey’s Anatomy and NCIS: New Orleans. He also voices Gilmore in The Legend of Vox Machina.
The recasting follows years of debate about Apu’s portrayal. Comedian Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu examined the character’s reliance on Indian stereotypes and the consequences for South Asian people who grew up with the show. Azaria announced in 2020 that he would stop voicing the character.
In a 2021 appearance on Armchair Expert, reported by ABC News, Azaria apologised for his role in the portrayal. He explained that he had initially felt defensive about the documentary, then spent time reading and speaking with Indian people to understand the criticism.
The series also changed its casting approach in 2020, announcing that white actors would no longer voice non-white characters. That wider policy shift preceded the decision to give Apu and Manjula new performers.
Executive producer Matt Selman told Variety that the family would be heard more often following the return. “We’re excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role,” he said.
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