Iconic The Simpsons character Apu has spoken for the first time in nearly a decade following years of debate around a white actor voicing the Indian man.

The long-running animated sitcom had never fully explained the absence of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the Indian character who owns Springfield’s Kwik-E-Mart.

Although the character has continued to appear on screen, he has not spoken since the October 2017 episode The Serfsons.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

That changed on Sunday night, when Apu made his long-awaited return in The Revengening.

In the special Halloween episode, a man wearing a “Daft Monk” costume is repeatedly killed by Springfield residents. A year later, he is revealed to be alive and unveils his identity as Apu.

Iconic Simpsons character Apu has spoken for the first time in nearly a decade in the special Halloween episode. Credit: X

“I am Apu,” the character declares, after removing the helmet.

“You thought you could just get rid of me, that I would just disappear, that there wouldn’t be consequences for the horrible thing you did.”

South Asian actor and voice-over artist Sunil Malhotra has taken over the role, previously voiced by actor Hank Azaria from 1990 until he stepped down in 2020 amid mounting criticism over the casting of a white actor for a Indian character.

Be the first to know:

Malhotra said he took time to consider how Apu could return in a way that acknowledged the controversy surrounding the character while remaining true to the spirit of The Simpsons.

“It had been eight years since Apu had spoken on the show, and it got me thinking,” Malhotra said, as per Variety.

“Did the writers’ room look different now? Could they bring him back in a way that acknowledged and apologised 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?”

Despite his initial hesitation, Malhotra said producers assured him the character’s return would be handled with care.

Sunday’s episode also marked the debut of actress and musician Janina Gavankar as Apu’s wife, Manjula.

The stars shared their excitement about bringing back Apu’s voice in a joint Instagram announcement.

The new voices of Apu and Manjula shared their excitement about stepping into the iconic roles. Credit: Instagram

“Bringing Apu back feels like a reclamation. It truly IS his homecoming,” Malhotra said. “After 22 years of friendship, I know Sunil is the perfect person to bring Apu home,” Gavankar added.

Executive producer Matt Selman said Malhotra’s casting and Apu’s return had been kept a closely guarded secret, adding that the character and his family would feature more regularly going forward.

“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.”

The Problem with Apu

Apu’s return comes years after a heated debate over the character’s portrayal and the decision to have a white actor voice an Indian immigrant using an exaggerated South Asian accent.

The controversy gained widespread attention following the 2017 documentary The Problem with Apu, directed by Indian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu.

The film explored how Apu’s accent, catchphrases and stereotypical portrayal had contributed to harmful representations of South Asian people.

In response to years of criticism, Azaria announced in 2020 he would no longer voice Apu. He later apologised for his role in perpetuating the character’s stereotypes.

Actor Hank Azaria. Credit: AAP

“I apologise for my part in creating that and participating in that,” Azaria said in 2021 on Dax Shepard’s podcast Armchair Expert.

“Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologise. And sometimes I do.”