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Kannada actor Santhosh Balaraj, star of 'Ganapa' and 'Kariya 2', dies at 34
The actor, who was suffering from jaundice for the past few days and was admitted to a private hospital, died of medical complications early on August 5
- PUBLISHED: Tue 5 Aug 2025, 12:36 PM
Kannada actor Santhosh Balaraj, best known for his roles in Kempa (2009), Ganapa (2015) and Kariya 2 (2017), died on August 5 following an illness. He was 34.
The actor, according to The Federal, was suffering from jaundice for the past few days and was admitted to a private hospital recently. His condition began to worsen and was admitted to the intensive care unit early on August 5, when he breathed his last.
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The son of Kannada film producer Anekal Balaraj, Santhosh began his acting career with the action drama Kempa. The movie, which also starred the veteran actors Pradeep Rawat and Avinash, opened to mixed reviews.
Santhosh's father had died in a road accident in 2022. He is survived by his mother.
However, he was noticed for his role. He later starred in the romantic drama Olavina Ole (2012) opposite Neha Patil, but the movie was panned for its formulaic plot.
His performance in the actioner Ganapa, his third film, put him on the big league. The movie was based on real-life incidents of the Bengaluru underworld and saw him play an orphan who's forced into turn a gangster. Reviews for the movie were largely positive, underlining Santhosh's performance.
In a 2021 interview to The Times of India, Santhosh said that he refused to be typecast and indicated his willingness to do varied roles.
Kariya 2, his last movie, was a sequel to the 2003 blockbuster headlined by actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is presently in jail on murder charges.