Apu speaks again on The Simpsons with Sunil Malhotra taking over the role

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has new dialogue on The Simpsons after remaining silent since October 2017. Sunil Malhotra voices him in The Revengening, which aired on Fox on October 18, Variety reported.

Apu had continued to appear without speaking after 2017. Hank Azaria previously voiced the character but stepped away from the role following debate about stereotypical portrayals of people of South Asian descent.

The 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu helped spark that debate. In 2020, the show's producers announced that white actors would no longer voice characters of other races.

Executive producer Matt Selman told Variety that the team wanted to bring Apu back in a way that allowed the character to develop. He said Apu, his wife Manjula and their family would now appear and speak more frequently.