The Simpsons: 10 Biggest Scandals Ever

Apu has been a beloved part of Springfield for decades, featuring in some legendary episodes and becoming many fans’ favourite supporting character. However, in recent years the depiction of Apu has been shrouded in controversy.

He’s quite obviously a stereotype, but then he’s hardly the only Springfieldite in that category. The accent has been called into question too, although Willie, Luigi, Cletus and Cookie have avoided such scrutiny.

Sidestepping the stereotype for now, Apu is a rather successful character too. He runs a business, has a healthy marriage which has come through hard times and has eight children. However, in 2017, Apu became a character drenched in controversy after Hari Kondabolu’s documentary film The Problem With Apu, which explored his status as one of the few mainstream South Asian character on television.

Following that, Adi Shankar claimed Apu would be permanently retired from the show. Al Jean was quick to dismiss these comments, informing us that Shankar had no connection to The Simpsons, and that there were no plans to change Apu’s role in the show.

However, since then he’s hardly been in Springfield, suggesting he’s still a contentious issue for the show.