The New Apu Makes His Debut Tonight On ‘The Simpsons’
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon speaks again in tonight’s episode of *The Simpsons*, voiced by Sunil Malhotra. The character had been seen but not heard since Hank Azaria stopped voicing him amid criticism of the portrayal of South Asians, making the recasting a significant return.
In “The Revengening”, a prelude to next week’s “Treehouse of Horror”, a mysterious figure is revealed to be Apu. Malhotra said he was initially uneasy about auditioning, but agreed to consider the role after meeting showrunner Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos. He described the process as collaborative and said he hopes the character’s return will resonate with longtime viewers and South Asian audiences.
- Apu returns to speaking roles in tonight’s episode.
- Sunil Malhotra takes over the voice role.
- The actor says the return was developed collaboratively.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Bringing Apu back with a South Asian actor could let the show retain a familiar character while giving the performance greater cultural grounding. A collaborative recasting may also create room to rethink the portrayal and reconnect with viewers who missed Apu, including South Asian audiences.
The case against
Recasting may not resolve concerns about Apu’s longstanding characterisation, which critics saw as built on stereotypes and voiced by someone outside the community. Returning him could therefore revive a portrayal some viewers consider harmful, even if the new actor and production team approach the role thoughtfully.