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Apu Returns to The Simpsons With New Voice After

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Apu Returns to The Simpsons With New Voice After

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the iconic Kwik-E-Mart proprietor, made a long-awaited return to The Simpsons during Sunday’s episode on Fox, titled The Revengening. The character’s reappearance had been kept confidential until the broadcast, revealing that Apu is now voiced by Indian-American actor Sunil Malhotra. Describing his new role on Instagram, Malhotra characterized the milestone as a reclamation, noting that “it truly is his homecoming.” His comeback had reportedly been kept under wraps until it aired. Absence, Simpsons clip fuel chaos, also Read: How ‘Trump is dead’ went viral: Bruises. He runs Springfield’s Kwik-E-Mart convenience store and became one of the show’s best-loved supporting characters. Whether he could make the character his own, and whether all of that could be done in a way that still felt like The Simpsons, he asked himself whether the show could bring Apu back in a way that acknowledged and apologised for past mistakes.

The character had been absent from active speaking roles for eight years, following the release of the 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu by comedian Hari Kondabolu. And Malhotra wondered whether the writers’ room had changed, apu had been silent for eight years.

The film critiqued the show’s depiction of the South Asian shopkeeper, arguing that it relied heavily on racial stereotypes. South Korea win gold after bus fails to arrive. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on South Asian representation.

Following the documentary’s release, Apu’s last speaking lines occurred in the October 2017 episode The Serfsons, after which he was relegated to background appearances. After that, he stayed in Springfield but only in the background.

Hank Azaria, who had voiced the character with an exaggerated accent since his 1990 debut, announced his departure from the role in 2020. During an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard, Azaria later reflected on the controversy, stating he felt a personal need to apologize to every Indian individual in the United States for the portrayal.

Malhotra, an experienced performer whose credits include The Legend of Korra and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, admitted to Variety that his initial reaction to the audition was apprehension. He recalled his stomach sinking when his agent identified the project, though curiosity soon followed. His decision to join the cast involved careful consideration regarding the show’s potential to address past errors and evolve the character for a modern audience.

To navigate the transition, Malhotra worked closely with showrunner Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos. He described the process as a “deeply collaborative experience” aimed at ensuring the character’s return aligns with the tone of 2026. Malhotra expressed hope that this direction will resonate both with legacy viewers and South Asian children who had previously drifted away from the series. According to he, He hopes it works both for long-time fans and for South Asian kids who, like him, eventually stopped watching the show.

In addition to the recasting of Apu, the show has updated the voice for his wife, Manjula. Janina Gavankar, known for her role in The Morning Show, has taken over the character, succeeding previous voice actors Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille.