NEW YORK — Kwik-E-Mart operator Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has returned to “The Simpsons,” where the controversial character will be voiced by Indian-American actor Sunil Malhotra.

Fans of the long-running animated series heard Malhotra’s interpretation of “The Simpsons” character on Sunday’s “Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening” episode.

Apu last appeared on the program in 2017. Voice actor Hank Azaria said that he stepped away from speaking for the character after concluding that his work perpetuated South Asian stereotypes.

“Actually I think I am participating in a harm here,” he said about playing the shopkeeper in a 2020 interview with journalist Pablo Torre.

Azaria claimed that he was saddened to learn that people engaging in hate crimes sometimes invoked Apu’s name to insult their victims.

Executive producer Matt Selman said the character was allowed to “evolve” during his absence and assured “The Simpsons” watchers that they haven’t heard the last of Malhotra.

“We’re excited by what Sunil has already brought to the role and look forward to seeing more of Apu in the future,” he told Variety.

Malhotra has appeared on television shows including “ER,” “24,” “The West Wing” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” according to IMDb.

His voice can he heard on animated programs “The Legend of Vox Machina” and “Blaze and the Monster Machines.”

“The Simpsons” also brought back Apu’s wife Manjula on Sunday. She’s now voiced by “ The Morning Show” star Janina Gavankar, an American actor of Indian descent. White actors Jan Hooks and Tress MacNeille previously spoke for that character.

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