After years of silent appearances, The Simpsons has given longstanding character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon a new voice.
American actor Sunil Malhotra, who moved to the US from India as a child, made his first appearance on the animated TV show as Apu on Sunday night.
It's been eight years since the character spoke during an episode. Apu was originally voiced by actor Hank Azaria, who – along with the producers of the show – was criticised for the stereotypical and racist portrayal of the character, a convenience store owner.
In 2020, after a documentary called The Problem With Apu by Indian American comic Hari Kondabolu, Azaria announced he would no longer voice the character. He later appeared on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, saying "I apologise for my part in creating that and participating in that. Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologise."
Malhotra's debut as the new voice of Apu was kept under wraps by The Simpsons' producers. Reviewers weren't given advance screeners and non-disclosure agreements were in place for the table read of the episode, Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening.
Apu's wife, Manjula, also has a new voice actor: Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show) is taking on the character, who was previously voiced by Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille.
Gavankar and Malhotra shared a joint Instagram post declaring Apu's homecoming. "Bringing Apu back feels like a reclamation. It truly IS his homecoming," wrote Malhotra.
According to Variety, Malhotra – whose recent credits include Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi and The Legend of Vox Machina – said he was initially hesitant to take on the role.
"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," he said. "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?"
Malhotra met with showrunner Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos before accepting the role, saying it was "a deeply collaborative experience". Selman said Apu and the Nahasapeemapetilon family will appear on The Simpsons more frequently now.
"We love this character, and wanted to bring him back in a smart, 'Simpsons-y' way that allowed him to evolve," 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."