Santhosh Balaraj dies of jaundice at 34: Revisiting the two roles that helped him make a name for himself in Kannada cinema
Roktim Rajpal | Aug 05, 2025, 14:26 IST
Highlight of the story: Actor Santhosh Balaraj died of jaundice at a private hospital in Bengaluru on August 5. He had been unwell for a while. The 34-year-old was producer Anekel Balraj’s son. Santhosh is known for his work in Ganapa and Kariya 2.
In an unfortunate development, actor Santhosh Balaraj is no more. According to a report by Asianet, the 34-year-old died at a private hospital in Bengaluru after a long battle with jaundice. Santhosh was producer Anekel Balraj’s son. He had found a foothold in Sandalwood with his work inGanapaand Kariya 2
Santhosh Balaraj, one of Kannada cinema’s emerging actors, died on August 5 at the age of 34 at a hospital in Bengaluru, where he was undergoing treatment for jaundice. He began his career with Kempa (2009), which was produced by his father. He also appeared in Olavina Ole (2012) and Janma (2013). It was, however, Ganapa (2015) that established him as a recognisable name.
The film featured him in the titular role and centered on the events that take place when he is forced to enter the underworld. Directed by Prabhu Srinivas, it received rave reviews with critics praising his ‘growth as a performer’. It was later dubbed in Hindi as Daada Ka Vaada.
Kariya 2 (2017) too proved to be an important release for Santhosh Balaraj. The gangster action drama revolved around a goon who works for the underworld and emerges as the new face of terror. His life, however, takes a turn for the worse when he falls in love and his lover tries to kill him because of a misunderstanding. The film clicked with critics with many of them praising the execution and his performance. It holds a rating of 7.1 on IMDb.
Kariya 2 had nothing in common with Darshan’s 2003 blockbuster Kariya.
Santhosh lived with his mother and was unmarried. His untimely death is a big loss for the Kannada industry. He will be missed!
Santhosh Balaraj death: Actor rose to fame with Ganapa
Santhosh Balaraj, one of Kannada cinema’s emerging actors, died on August 5 at the age of 34 at a hospital in Bengaluru, where he was undergoing treatment for jaundice. He began his career with Kempa (2009), which was produced by his father. He also appeared in Olavina Ole (2012) and Janma (2013). It was, however, Ganapa (2015) that established him as a recognisable name.
The film featured him in the titular role and centered on the events that take place when he is forced to enter the underworld. Directed by Prabhu Srinivas, it received rave reviews with critics praising his ‘growth as a performer’. It was later dubbed in Hindi as Daada Ka Vaada.
Making an impact with Kariya 2
Kariya 2 (2017) too proved to be an important release for Santhosh Balaraj. The gangster action drama revolved around a goon who works for the underworld and emerges as the new face of terror. His life, however, takes a turn for the worse when he falls in love and his lover tries to kill him because of a misunderstanding. The film clicked with critics with many of them praising the execution and his performance. It holds a rating of 7.1 on IMDb.
Kariya 2 had nothing in common with Darshan’s 2003 blockbuster Kariya.
Santhosh lived with his mother and was unmarried. His untimely death is a big loss for the Kannada industry. He will be missed!