In response to the episode, Mr Shah decided to explain why, in his view, the debate over Apu's character oversimplified his family's complex and sometimes difficult life.
"Everybody has an opinion about Apu, but did they ever talk to someone who owned a convenience store or gas station or work in one or grow up in one?" he tweeted. "You know, like my dad and I? This is much more than some stereotype. For some of us, we lived this life. It was our story. It's my story.
Lisa Simpson addresses the Apu controversy on The Simpsons.
Photo: Fox/MRCTV video
"My dad's 67 now. He still wakes up at 5 in the morning, still loves WWE, still has that Harrison Ford flintiness which hides charm and kindness I know in no other person. He still goes to work with this same energy he did in his 30s.
"And tomorrow he'll do the same thing."
Mr Shah made it clear that he wasn't condemning Kondabolu for raising the issue, in fact he agreed with some of his points, it was just that he took pride in "how hard mom and dad worked to make a better life", even if it was a stereotype.
"I've known @harikondabolu for many years. And he did a wonderful thing bringing the discussion of Apu to the forefront. But what if your dad owned a convenience store and was an Indian immigrant? What then? There's more to it. See my way, too long thread of gas station lif (sic)," Mr Shah posted.
Kondabolu responded on Twitter that he and his team had interviewed Indian small business owners for the documentary, but the footage didnt make the final cut.
“Brother, thank you for sharing,” he posted in response to Mr Shah's tweets. “We interviewed Desi small business owners & it was left on the cutting room floor due to time. This still haunts me. Theres nothing wrong with working in a gas station or store. These stories should be told with the honesty & care you just showed.”
Mr Shah's full story:
