Apu returns to The Simpsons with new voice after race row

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has returned to The Simpsons with a new voice actor, nearly a decade after he stopped speaking on the show amid criticism that the character relied on racial stereotypes. Sunil Malhotra, an India-born, US-raised actor, now voices the shopkeeper, in a change that may help make the character more culturally appropriate for South Asian viewers.

Apu first appeared in 1990 and was previously voiced by Hank Azaria, who stepped down in 2020. The controversy gained prominence after Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary, The Problem With Apu; some viewers later felt the show’s response did not go far enough. Malhotra said his return involved discussions with the show’s producers, while Janina Gavankar takes over as the voice of Apu’s wife, Manjula.