The Simpsons: Apu Is Back! Sunil Malhotra on Being Apu's New Voice

Posted in: Fox, TV | Tagged: the simpsons

The Simpsons: Apu Is Back! Sunil Malhotra on Being Apu's New Voice

The Simpsons EP Matt Selman and Sunil Malhotra on Malhotra's casting as Apu and his debut in "Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening."

Published Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:37:08 -0500
by Tom Chang
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Article Summary

• The Simpsons brings Apu back after years of silence, with Sunil Malhotra debuting as the character’s new voice.
• Matt Selman says The Simpsons plans a smarter evolution for Apu, with his family set for a bigger role ahead.
• Sunil Malhotra reveals why taking Apu worried him, and how he wanted the return to address past stereotypes.
• Manjula also returns with Janina Gavankar, as The Simpsons continues recasting key roles for better representation.

It was a vocal return nine years in the making, as Apu Nahasapeemaptilon has been largely demoted to a background character in The Simpsons since Hank Azaria retired from the role in 2020, last voicing the character in season 29's "The Serfsons" (2901) in 2017, due to the backlash against the white actor playing a South Asian character, stemming from the Hari Kondabolu 2017 documentary The Problem with Apu that tackles the perpetual ethnic stereotypes of the popular Simpsons character created by Matt Groening. As the owner of the Kwik-E-Mart, the popular convenience store in Springfield, Apu became a popular recurring character, given a family, and some episodes involved him and the Simpsons family. While he didn't go away completely, he was left without a voice until Sunil Malhotra (Grey's Anatomy, The Legend of Korra) appeared in the latest episode (3803), "Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening," when Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) confronts the hooded Apu, who finally speaks.

The Simpsons Finally Gives Apu's Voice Back with Sunil Malhotra in Role

"The Revenging" also marks the return of Apu's wife, Manjula, now voiced by Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show), originally voiced by white actors (the late) Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille in previous seasons. Executive producer Matt Selman and Malhotra spoke to Variety about what it means to have Apu return in a more meaningful way. "We love this character, and wanted to bring him back in a smart, 'Simpsons'-y way that allowed him to evolve," Selman said, adding that the Nahasapeemapetilon family will be more involved from here on out. "We're excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role, and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future."

"When my agent called me about a 'Simpsons' audition, I knew exactly what role it was for, and the idea actually made my stomach sink," Malhotra recalled. "But admittedly, part of me was also curious. It had been eight years since Apu had spoken on the show, and it got me thinking: Did the writers' room look different now? Could they bring him back in a way that acknowledged and apologized for past mistakes? Could I make the character my own, and reclaim him in some way? And could they achieve all of that in an unmistakably 'Simpsons' way that didn't disappoint fans?"

He continued, "Whether the producers knew it or not, I was prepared to walk away." The actor added that he declined his very first "professional job offer 28 years ago," because it would have required him to play a stereotypical "Hindu guy," adding that playing such a caricature "to be the butt of the joke wasn't something I was willing to do, and I've turned down similar work multiple times since." Gavankar shared on her Instagram, tagging Malhotra, showing the actors alongside their respective characters, writing, "APU IS BACK. After eight years of silence, Apu returns to Springfield, now voiced by South Asian actor @ThatSunil, with @Janina as Manjula. 'Bringing Apu back feels like a reclamation. It truly IS his homecoming.' — @thatSunil Malhotra 'After 22 years of friendship, I know Sunil is the perfect person to bring Apu home.' — @Janina Gavankar Photo by @yashxsinghofficial Apu & Manjula artwork courtesy of @TheSimpsons"

It wasn't only Azaria that stopped voicing Apu; with cultural concerns of representation in animation, he also stopped voicing Carl Carlson, Homer's black co-worker and friend at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, now played by Alex Désert, and Bumblebee Man, the comedic Hispanic TV personality, now voiced by Eric Lopez. African American doctor Dr. Julius Hibbert, who was originally voiced by Harry Shearer, is now voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. For more, including Malhotra's meeting with Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos, and the character's triumphant return to form when he uttered the line, "I AM APU!" you can check out the whole interview. The Simpsons airs on Sundays on Fox.

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