Keep Hank Azaria As Apu Doco Director Tells 'The Simpsons'

Hari Kondabolu, director of the controversial documentary, The Problem With Apu, has urged the team behind The Simpsons to keep Hank Azaria on as the voice of long-running character, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.

Speaking to TMZ, Kondabolu responded to Azaria's comments yesterday that the documentary, which suggests that Apu portrays negative stereotypes about people of Indian and South Asian heritage, "made some really interesting points and gave us a lot to think about".

"I think Hank should keep doing the voice," Kondabolu said.

"It's been 30 years, so it'd seem strange to change it.

"I think the issue is more, 'Can we make the character more interesting?' This dude is somewhat one dimensional. He works at a convenience store, so many of his jokes are about him being Indian… "

The New York-born comic also discussed how he would like to see Apu portrayed in The Simpsons moving forward. 

"He owns the corporation, the Kwik-E-Mart corporation, and he owns all the stores and he employs a bunch of people and he's like, the counter to Mr Burns," he pitched.

"Like, there's finally a change in power."

The interview came after Kondabolu tweeted that killing off Apu from The Simpsons would be "lazy writing".

To @TheSimpsons Writers: Please do NOT remove Apu from The Simpsons. Killing him is lazy writing & an insult to the show’s legacy. Let him be upwardly mobile & own multiple Qwik E Marts. Let his kids talk. Plots have been repeating for years & tweaks provide tons of new stories.

— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) December 4, 2017

Watch the trailer for The Problem With Apu below.