“The Simpsons” has finally given Apu his voice back after nine years of silence following controversy over the longtime character’s portrayal. The Kwik-E-Mart owner returned with speaking lines during Sunday’s Halloween episode, with Indian-American actor Sunil Malhotra replacing Hank Azaria. Producers plan to keep Apu in future episodes. His return also brings another member of the family back into the show’s speaking cast.
The episode, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening,” aired October 18th on Fox during the animated series’ 38th season. Apu has been part of Springfield since the first season, while Azaria also supplies the voices of Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum and Comic Book Guy. Malhotra arrives with extensive animation experience, including roles in “The Legend of Korra,” “The Legend of Vox Machina” and “Monster High,” alongside television appearances in “Grey’s Anatomy” and “House.”
The dispute surrounding Apu gained attention with comedian Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary, “The Problem With Apu,” which examined the character’s portrayal of South Asians. Apu’s last dialogue before the return came in the October 2017 episode “The Serfsons,” although he continued appearing without speaking. Azaria announced in 2020 that he would no longer perform the role, leaving producers to determine the character’s future.
Azaria subsequently addressed his involvement during a 2021 appearance on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. As Rolling Stone reported, the actor apologized for helping create and perform the character. He also described taking that apology beyond public interviews and into personal encounters. “Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologize,” Azaria said.
Malhotra approached the replacement role cautiously, discussing his conditions in an interview with Variety. He had rejected his first professional job offer 28 years earlier because it required a stereotypical Indian portrayal, and had declined similar opportunities since. Before accepting Apu, he wanted assurances about the producers’ approach. “Whether the producers knew it or not, I was prepared to walk away,” he said.
The production team kept the casting secret through the episode’s development, using nondisclosure agreements and withholding an advance screener from the press. Writer Nick Dahan and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos developed the idea for the Halloween return. Their story places a disguised Apu at the center of a revenge plot after Springfield residents repeatedly leave him for dead, eventually bringing him face-to-face with the townspeople.
Watch Apu’s return with his new voice here:
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During the confrontation, Homer offers himself in exchange for the town’s survival, recalling Apu’s participation in their shared activities. Apu then awakens in the Kwik-E-Mart, where his wife and Homer are present. Homer invites him to a Halloween party, and Apu accepts before saying he needs a costume. The episode ends with the discovery of the costume from his apparent nightmare beneath the register.
Janina Gavankar also debuted as the voice of Apu’s wife, Manjula. Malhotra had requested a meeting with showrunner Matt Selman and Mazariegos before considering an offer, and both agreed to discuss the character with him. Selman confirmed that the couple would be heard regularly again, with plans for further appearances by the family following the Halloween episode.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.