After nearly a decade off-screen as a speaking character and years of simmering controversy over racial stereotypes, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the beloved convenience store owner of Springfield, has made his official speaking return to the long-running animated sitcom *The Simpsons* — this time voiced by India-born, US-raised actor Sunil Malhotra.
Apu’s surprise comeback landed in Fox’s newly released Sunday episode *The Revengening*, a development that had been kept tightly under wraps by production teams since the character stopped speaking publicly back in 2017’s *The Serfsons*. For years after the controversy erupted, Apu only appeared as a silent background figure in Springfield storylines.
The reintroduction of the character marks a pivotal turning point for the show, which faced widespread criticism over the character’s problematic origins. From his introduction to the *Simpsons* universe in 1990 up until 2020, Apu was voiced by white actor Hank Azaria, who performed the role using a thick, caricatured Indian accent. The debate over the character’s harmful stereotypes erupted into mainstream discourse in 2017, when Indian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu released the documentary *The Problem With Apu*, which argued that the character perpetuated harmful, one-dimensional stereotypes of South Asian people. A 2018 *Simpsons* episode that briefly acknowledged the backlash left many viewers unsatisfied, splitting public opinion: while some defended the show noting that nearly all *Simpsons* characters lean into exaggerated archetypes, others continued to push for meaningful change to the character.
Azaria publicly stepped down from the role in 2020, later telling *Armchair Expert* podcast that he felt compelled to personally apologize to every Indian person in the United States for his part in perpetuating the stereotype. The production team then set out to reimagine the character with a South Asian performer at the helm, ultimately casting Malhotra — an experienced actor whose credits include *Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi*, *The Legend of Vox Machina*, *Grey’s Anatomy* and *The Legend of Korra*.
Malhotra opened up about his mixed initial reaction to the audition in an interview with *Variety*, saying: “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. 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?” He went on to share that he entered discussions with showrunner Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos about how to reframe Apu as a culturally appropriate character fit for 2026, asking a series of core questions: “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?”
Describing the project as a reclamation of the character in an Instagram statement, Malhotra noted: “It truly is his homecoming.” He added that the collaborative process with the writing team was designed to satisfy both long-time *Simpsons* fans and South Asian audience members who, like him, had stepped away from the show years ago over the controversy. Alongside Apu’s recasting, the show has also recast Apu’s wife Manjula: the role will now be voiced by Janina Gavankar, known for her work on Apple TV+’s *The Morning Show*, replacing original voice actors Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille.
The comeback episode leans into the years of off-screen controversy through Apu’s in-universe storyline. The Halloween-themed plot centers on a man in a “Daft Monk” costume (a playful nod to the French electronic music duo Daft Punk) who is accidentally killed repeatedly by Springfield residents, before returning a year later to seek revenge. When he finally removes his helmet at Springfield City Hall to reveal his identity, it is none other than Apu, who tells the gathered crowd: “I am the man you left for dead. I am the one you pretended never existed.” Just as he prepares to burn the building down, Marge Simpson steps in as a stand-in for the show’s producers, saying: “Apu, we’re so sorry we left you for dead. Believe me, we wanted to do the right thing.” Bart Simpson adds: “But we were so scared, and just didn’t know what to do,” before Homer Simpson acknowledges the character’s long-standing place in the town and the mistake of sidelining him, saying: “You were on our bowling teams, our barbershop quartets, our dad rock cover bands. We took you for granted. I took you for granted.”
The episode will be available to stream for UK viewers on Disney+ starting next week.