Apu returned to The Simpsons on Oct. 18 with Indian American actor Sunil Malhotra as his new voice. Years after he was called a stereotype and dropped, some fans are asking what changed.
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is back behind the counter of the Kwik-E-Mart.
The longtime Simpsons character returned on Sunday, Oct. 18, in this year’s Treehouse of Horror Halloween special, according to TV Insider. He has a new voice: Indian American actor Sunil Malhotra.
Producers say Apu will stick around as a regular character going forward. For some fans, that raises a big question.
Why was Apu removed from The Simpsons?
Because of criticism over how he was voiced. Hank Azaria, a white actor, voiced Apu with an Indian accent from the show’s early days.
Comedian Hari Kondabolu‘s 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu argued that the character fed stereotypes about South Asians in America. The film brought the debate into the spotlight.
Apu’s last real appearance was in a 2017 episode, The Serfsons, according to ComicBook.com. Azaria confirmed in 2020 that he would no longer voice him.
“I just didn’t want to participate in it anymore,” Azaria told The New York Times at the time.
Did The Simpsons say Apu was gone for good?
Not officially. In 2018, producer Adi Shankar claimed the show would drop Apu “altogether,” according to Australian outlet SBS News.
Showrunner Al Jean pushed back, saying Shankar “does not speak for our show,” The Hollywood Reporter reported. Still, Apu largely disappeared, apart from a quick joke last year showing him dead in a Treehouse of Horror segment.
Why are some fans calling Apu’s return a double standard?
Because the character himself hasn’t been retired as a stereotype. He’s back, with the same name, the same job, the same store, but a different voice actor.
To critics of the original decision, that suggests the issue wasn’t really Apu. If the character was too harmful for the show, they ask, why is he fine now that a different actor voices him?
Supporters of the change would say that was the point all along. Much of the criticism focused on a white actor doing an Indian accent, not on Apu existing. Casting an Indian American actor answers that complaint directly.
So a "harmful stereotype” is OK as long as someone who looks like the character voices them?
Did Indian Americans want Apu to stay?
Some did. Writer Bhaskar Sunkara, the founding editor of Jacobin, argued in 2018 that the show should keep Apu.
He pushed back on the idea that Indian Americans should only be shown as doctors and engineers. “But a lot of us pump gas too,” Sunkara wrote.
Simpsons creator Matt Groening also defended the character. “I’m proud of Apu,” he told TheWrap in 2021, calling him one of the show’s most nuanced characters.
What did The Simpsons say about bringing Apu back?
The show says it wanted to do it the right way. “We love this character,” producer Matt Selman told Variety, adding that the team wanted to bring him back so he could “evolve.”
Apu’s return episode, The Revengening, finds him wreaking havoc on Springfield after other characters try to cover up his death, TV Insider reported.
It sounds like the “right way” was simply hiring a voice actor of Indian descent.
While people are very happy to have Apu back, many are questioning the “double standard” that sent him away in the first place.
Who is Sunil Malhotra?
A veteran actor and voice performer. Malhotra has appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, House, and Cold Case, according to TV Insider.
He’s best known for voice work in The Legend of Korra, The Legend of Vox Machina, Monster High, and the Mortal Kombat video games.
Who owns The Simpsons?
Disney. The show is produced by 20th Television, which Disney acquired when it bought most of 21st Century Fox in 2019. New episodes still air on Fox and stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
The Simpsons is now in Season 38, and Apu’s return means one of the most popular characters has returned. Let’s hope they don’t ruin him in their quest to change him.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
TV Insider, Martin Holmes (Oct. 19, 2026), Apu’s return, Sunil Malhotra, Hank Azaria’s quote and Matt Selman’s quotes via Variety
SBS News, Riley Morgan (Oct. 29, 2018), Adi Shankar’s claim
The Hollywood Reporter (2018), Al Jean’s response
The Guardian, Bhaskar Sunkara (Nov. 1, 2018), the case for keeping Apu
TheWrap (March 21, 2021), Matt Groening’s comments
ComicBook.com (Oct. 22, 2025), Apu’s last appearance and the 2025 Treehouse joke
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