Fox
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon arrived on “The Simpsons” in the show’s first season as the proprietor of Springfield’s Kwik-E-Mart. Over time, he became a major part of the series, appearing in several of its most celebrated and endlessly rewatchable episodes. Yet the character also carried a serious problem from the beginning: his convenience-store job, culture-based jokes and portrayal by white actor Hank Azaria combined to create a familiar, exaggerated South Asian stereotype.
The debate surrounding Apu intensified in the late 2010s. By June 2020, he had effectively disappeared from “The Simpsons” as the series began moving away from having white performers voice characters of color. Azaria also issued sincere apologies for playing Apu for so many years. The character appeared to be retired, aside from occasional silent cameos in 2020s episodes such as “Night of the Living Wage.” Then Season 38’s “The Revengening” delivered a surprise: Apu was back, this time with a new voice actor.
So how did Apu return, and does the character have a lasting future on “The Simpsons”? His unexpected comeback raises important questions about how the show plans to handle one of its most recognizable—and controversial—figures.
How did Apu come back?
Fox
“The Revengening” is a mostly non-canon Halloween story inspired by “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Like the most violent “Treehouse of Horror” installments, it embraces a bloody premise: Homer, Marge and other Springfield residents are haunted by a figure dressed as Daft Monk—a monk-themed parody of Daft Punk—whom they helped kill the previous Halloween.
The masked figure is eventually revealed to be Apu, now voiced by Sunil Malhotra. After Springfield’s residents dump his body into the ocean, Apu washes up on an island filled with things the town abandoned. The island includes relics from earlier episodes, such as Homer’s car, “The Homer,” along with controversial characters Dr. Nick Rivera and Leon Kompowsky.
When Apu returns to Springfield, he realizes that nobody seems to remember him—or even notice that he was gone. He responds by plotting violent revenge against the town’s residents. The increasingly gruesome story is ultimately revealed to be a dream Apu had while falling asleep at the Kwik-E-Mart checkout counter. The episode ends on a warmer note, with Homer inviting Apu to a BYOB Halloween party and insisting that everyone appreciates having him around. A final glimpse of the Daft Monk costume beneath Apu’s counter adds a playful hint that his return may be permanent.
Where does Apu go from here?
Fox
The show’s producers had previously said that “The Simpsons” would “definitely” address the controversy surrounding Apu. Nearly a decade later, the series has done so by recasting the character in “The Revengening.” The next question is whether Malhotra will continue in the role. In a Variety report about Apu’s return—and Janina Gavankar’s casting as Manjula, Apu’s significant other—showrunner Matt Selman confirmed that the appearance marks the beginning of a new chapter rather than a one-time joke.
“We love this character, and wanted to bring him back in a smart, ‘Simpsons’-y way that allowed him to evolve,” Selman explained to Variety. “We’re excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role, and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future.” Because the production kept Apu’s appearance in “The Revengening” secret, the show has not announced which upcoming episodes will include Apu and Manjula. Still, the ambitious Halloween story provided a creative, self-aware route for bringing Apu back into Springfield.
That careful approach was essential for a character viewed in two sharply different ways: Apu has been recognized as one of the 50 greatest “Simpsons” characters, while critics have also identified him as a racist caricature reflecting the limited representation available to South Asians in American culture. Whatever the character’s future holds, Sunil Malhotra has already made a strong impression in the role.
