Apu returns to speaking role on The Simpsons with Sunil Malhotra
Janina Gavankar also joins as the voice of Manjula, while executive producer Matt Selman says the family will have a larger role.
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon spoke again on The Simpsons in its October 18 episode, ending a silence dating to 2017. Sunil Malhotra has replaced Hank Azaria as the character’s voice, Variety reported, with the change unveiled in the Fox comedy’s Halloween episode, “The Revengening.”
The episode also featured Janina Gavankar as the new voice of Apu’s wife, Manjula. The actors announced their roles together on Instagram. Executive producer Matt Selman told Variety that the couple and their family would appear more prominently as the series continues, saying the writers wanted to develop Apu further.
Malhotra, who is of Indian descent, said the character’s controversial history initially made him hesitant to accept. Before joining, he discussed Apu’s portrayal with Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos. He described their work as collaborative and expressed hope that it would resonate with both longtime viewers and South Asian audiences.
Azaria stepped away from voicing Apu in 2020 following criticism of the Indian convenience store owner’s portrayal. Comedian Hari Kondabolu explored the stereotypes surrounding the character in his 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu. Apu subsequently appeared occasionally in the background, but his previous speaking appearance was in October 2017’s “The Serfsons.”
In the return episode, Apu is revealed as the disguised figure Daft Monk, who seeks revenge against Springfield residents. An apparent nightmare ending places him back at the Kwik-E-Mart with his family, though the costume remains beneath the register.
