Sunil Malhotra gave Simpsons Apu a new voice on Sunday night, ending nearly a decade without dialogue for Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. The change aired on The Simpsons in The Revengening, with Malhotra taking over from Hank Azaria.
Oct. 18 on The Revengening
Apu had last been heard in The Serfsons in October 2017, so the Oct. 18 return lands as a deliberate reset rather than a throwaway gag. Janina Gavankar also debuted as Apu’s wife, Manjula, giving the episode a fuller family reentry instead of a single-character cameo.
Malhotra said the audition carried immediate weight: “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 also said he took time to look into what it would mean to take over Apu and talked to the producers to make sure the character was more culturally appropriate.
Matt Selman’s return plan
Executive producer Matt Selman said the team wanted to revive the character in a way that fit the show’s own rules. “We love this character, and wanted to bring him back in a smart, ‘Simpsons’-y way that allowed him to evolve,” he said. He added, “We’re excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role, and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future.”
The return was kept secret inside The Simpsons universe, and Fox did not share a screener for The Revengening. Producers used tight protocols, including NDAs for everyone involved, which is a good sign this was treated as a story beat, not a routine voice recast.
Hank Azaria and the fallout
The comeback comes after years of controversy over Apu’s stereotypical portrayal and after Hank Azaria said in 2021 on Armchair Expert that he would no longer voice the character. Azaria also apologized for his part in creating and participating in that portrayal, including: “I apologize for my part in creating that and participating in that.”
That history is why this episode matters beyond one credit change: The Simpsons is not simply swapping performers, it is testing whether a long-muted character can return in a form that acknowledges the backlash around him. The practical question now is how often Apu and Manjula will appear after this first post-hiatus appearance, and Selman’s remarks point to more than a one-off use.
