Ever since the release of a documentary called The Problem with Apu streamed on truTV.com, there has been a lot of backlash and discussion about the only recurring Indian character on The Simpsons that has been on air for about 29 years.
The documentary puts forward the point that the Indian shopkeeper Apu Nahasapeemapetilon perpetuates racial stereotypes through mannerisms, the work he does and an exaggerated Indian accent. Everyone from the actor behind the voices to the creator has come out to give statements about the issue. Recently, Priyanka Chopra was quizzed about the same, and she had a lot to say.
“He was the bane of my life growing up, for sure,” said Chopra. She went on to explain why-
“A lot of people are talking about, ‘Oh, the show was so successful for 30 years, why are we suddenly waking up and being offended by a character that everyone loved?’ What happened from that time to now, the population of Indian Americans has tripled. So the voice is louder. Representation for people of color is louder. There’s the Internet and the media, where people can have a conversation,”
She also talked about how her high school classmates often asked her ignorant questions because of Apu. In case you’re not aware, here’s a little snippet of what Apu looks and sounds like:
Watch the entire segment right here:
Perhaps next we can discuss how Raj Koothrapalli from The Big Bang Theory is offensive AF too?
