After some nine years of being seen but not heard on The Simpsons, the show's creators have finally given a voice back to beloved Kwik-E-Mart owner, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. In episode three of the series' 38th season dubbed "The Revengening", which aired Sunday night on Fox in the US, a new voice for the loveable Squishee salesman was debuted courtesy of actor and voice-over veteran, Sunil Malhotra (Grey's Anatomy, The Legend of Korra).
According to a report on Variety, Malhotra's hiring and the return of the Apu character – who hasn't uttered a single word on the show since the October 2017 episode, "The Serfsons" – have been heavily kept under wraps, with producers keeping both the episode's table read and its subsequent production under strict NDA for everyone involved.
"We love this character, and wanted to bring him back in a smart, Simpsons-y way that allowed him to evolve," executive producer Matt Selman told Variety. "We're excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role, and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future."
Hank Azaria previously voiced Apu for the first 29 seasons of the animated series. However, after the character became the focus of the 2017 documentary "The Problem With Apu", in which comedian Hari Kondabolu discussed the negative impact the character has had on people of South Asian descent, Azaria announced that he would no longer lend his voice to the role. Later, during an episode of Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert in 2021, Azaria reflected with remorse about his portrayal of the character and stated that part of him "feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologise."
After Azaria vacated the role, Apu was pushed to the background on The Simpsons, occasionally seen but never heard. However, after an idea to bring the character back for one of season 38's Halloween-themed episodes was hatched by staffer Nick Hahan and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos, the process of finding a new actor for Apu began in earnest.
“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 told Variety. “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?"
After some back and forth with the show's producers, Malhotra was eventually convinced that the return of Apu was being handled in the best possible way.
"It was the beginning of a deeply collaborative experience that I hope is equally satisfying for longtime fans of ‘The Simpsons’ and for other South Asian kids who, like me, stopped watching at some point along the way," said Malhotra.
In "The Revengening", a man in a Daft Punk-inspired Halloween costume is accidentally killed over and over again by residents of Springfield. A year later, the man is still alive and taking his revenge on his would-be killers, one at a time. Eventually the costumed killer is unmasked and revealed to be Apu, who tells the town's residents, "I am the man you left for dead. I am the one you pretended never existed!"
To which Marge, seemingly serving as a mouthpiece for the show's producers, replies, "Apu, we're so sorry we left you for dead. Believe me, wanted to do the right thing." Bart then adds, "But we were so scared, and just didn't know what to do."
For his part, Malhotra seems satisfied with Apu's reintroduction to the cast.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the sweetest part of all was unleashing that righteously rage-fueled “I AM APU!” — on behalf of so many of us — over and over in the studio until we got it just right,” said Malhotra. “I really feel like we did and I can’t wait for fans to see more Apu.”
Have you watched "The Revengening"? What do you think of Sunil Malhotra's portrayal of Apu? Is it a thank you, come again? Let us know in the comments!