Shopkeeper character Apu may be dropped from The Simpsons after racism row

THE character of Apu is going to be dropped from The Simpsons following a racism row, it has been claimed.

The depiction of the Indian shopkeeper, known for working behind the counter of Springfield’s Kwik-E-Mart, prompted debate after a TV documentary branded it a racist caricature.

The presenter, US comedian Hari Kondabolu, said: “Apu reflected how America viewed us: servile, devious, goofy.”

He did not call for the character to be axed, but said writers should “complicate” the character to make him less of a stereotype. But sources close to the programme say Apu will be written out of the popular cartoon.

Film producer Adi Shankar said he had heard from people who work on the show that they are “going to drop the Apu character altogether”. He said: “They aren’t going to make a big deal out of it, or anything like that, but they’ll drop him altogether just to avoid the controversy.”

The Simpsons’ production company, Gracie Films, has not commented on the claims.