Sunil Malhotra reclaims Apu's voice on The Simpsons

Sunil Malhotra made his first appearance as Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on The Simpsons on Sunday night, October 19, 2026. This ends an eight-year period where the character was silent, last speaking in the October 2017 episode 'The Serfsons.' Malhotra replaces Hank Azaria, who voiced Apu for decades before stepping down in 2020 amid criticism that his portrayal was a racist stereotype.

The comeback occurred in the Halloween-themed episode 'Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening' on Fox. Producers kept the casting secret by withholding screeners and requiring non-disclosure agreements. The episode featured a new storyline where Apu was revealed as the 'Daft Monk' before waking from a nightmare. Apu has been part of The Simpsons since 1990, running Springfield’s Kwik-E-Mart as one of the show’s best-loved supporting characters.

Sunil Malhotra's journey to reclaim Apu

Sunil Malhotra is an American actor born in India and raised in the US. His credits include Grey's Anatomy, The Legend of Korra, and The Legend of Vox Machina. He initially hesitated about taking the role. The idea made his stomach sink. Malhotra questioned if the writers' room had changed and if the show could acknowledge past mistakes. He wondered whether he could make the character his own while still feeling unmistakably like The Simpsons.

He changed his mind after meeting with executive producer Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos. They discussed how to portray Apu respectfully for a 2026 audience. Malhotra said he wanted to reclaim the character. He hoped the return would work for long-time fans and for South Asian kids who, like him, had eventually stopped watching the show. Hank Azaria welcomed Malhotra's performance, commenting "Wonderful job!" on the announcement.

Janina Gavankar steps in as Apu's wife

Apu's wife, Manjula, also received a new voice. Janina Gavankar, known for The Morning Show, now voices the character. She replaces previous voice actors Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille. Gavankar has been a friend of Malhotra for 22 years. She said she knew he was the perfect person to bring Apu home.

Malhotra and Gavankar shared a joint Instagram post announcing the return. The caption read 'APU IS BACK. After eight years of silence, Apu returns to Springfield, now voiced by South Asian actor @ThatSunil, with @Janina as Manjula.' In the post, Malhotra reflected on the moment. Sunil Malhotra said: "Bringing Apu back feels like a reclamation. It truly IS his homecoming."

Executive producer Matt Selman confirmed that Apu and his family would have a larger presence on the show moving forward. The writers want the character to evolve. The controversy over Apu's portrayal was heavily influenced by comedian Hari Kondabolu's 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu. Following the criticism, Azaria later said he felt he needed to personally apologise to every Indian person in the United States. The Simpsons currently airs Sundays on Fox. Sunil Malhotra's debut as Apu in 'The Revengening' marks a new chapter for the long-silent shopkeeper.