Nandini Bhatnagar, B.A. (Hons.) Global Affairs 2018.
The Simpsons' Apu and Bart. PHOTO BY FOX.
The Problem with Apu is a 2017 documentary that focuses on the character called ‘Apu’, an Indian-American immigrant in an American animated sitcom called ‘The Simpsons’. Written by Hari Kondabolu, the documentary envelopes around the misconceptions and stereotypes reflected by Apu’s character about South Asian immigrants in America.
Hari is a standup comedian, who discovers how Apu’s character is not only the one representing his community, but also ill-representing it given the fact that Apu Nahasapeematetilon was the only person of South Asian descent depicted on American TV at all at that time. Along the course of the documentary, Hari interviews a number of South Asian origin Americans about their struggles with Racial Stereotyping and Under-representation. He talks about the psychological and emotional problems that these kinds of portrayals have on the immigrants’ lives and at the same time generalize an entire population of South Asians.
The Simpsons has been one of the most popular TV shows in America. It has influenced countless numbers of people and their idea about races portrayed in the animated sitcom. Apu’s character has a major role in showcasing the mainstream America what an Average South Asian is supposed to be like. It propagates racism, generalization and stereotypes about non-white immigrants in America.
The documentary, with the help of Apu’s character. throws a light on the lives of South Asian immigrants and their struggles with facing bias, stereotypes and racial appropriation generated from pop culture and media. It highlights how even purebred South Asian characters like Apu are seen and constructed from a white lens, given the fact that Apu’s voice was given by a white man called Hank Azaria (of course, with the added animated Indian accent).
Having said that, America is not the same anymore, at least when it comes to representation of South Asians or for that matter the non-white population in media. The ratio might not be ideal but it's far better than what it was when The Simpsons first aired on television. People like Mindy Kaling, Hassan Minaj and Penn Kal have been consistent in representing the South Asian demographic on American television, thus trying to destroy the deeply entrenched and accepted stereotypes that still seem to retain their place in the American minds.
The opinions expressed and suggestions made in the article belong solely to the author themselves. Diplomania and O.P. Jindal Global University do not endorse the same.
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