Kannada actor Santhosh Balaraj passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 34. He was mainly known for his roles in films like ' Kariya 2 ' and ' Ganapa '. Reportedly, the actor had been battling jaundice for the past few weeks, and his condition worsened despite medical treatment.

A budding talent lost too soon
As reported by Mathrubhumi, Santhosh Balaraj breathed his last at around 9:45 am in the ICU of a private hospital in Bengaluru. The news has sent shockwaves through the Kannada film industry and among fans who saw Santhosh as one of Sandalwood’s promising stars.
Legacy of a film family
Santhosh was the son of renowned film producer Anekal Balaraj, who produced the 2003 hit 'Kariya' starring Darshan.
Balaraj had died in a road accident in 2022. Santhosh, who was unmarried, lived with his mother. He continued to build on his father's legacy through his film work.
Earning popularity through 'Ganapa'
It was the action thriller film 'Ganapa' which earned Santhosh Balaraj immense popularity. 'Ganapa' hit the big screens in the year 2015 and was directed by Prabhu Srinivas. The movie turned out to be a superhit It shared the similar plot of the Kannada superhit film 'Kariya'. The 2012 romantic drama film 'Olavine Ole' which was directed by Teshi Venkatesh, also earned much praises from the audiences, especially for Santhosh's stunning acting. 'Olavine Ole' featured Neha Patil in the female lead and the story revolved around the theme of honour killings. In the year 2013, Santhosh played the lead character Kanteerava in the film 'Janma' which was directed by Chakravarthi. The movie received much praises for it's plot which revolves around Kanteerava who falls in love with Kaveri and the conflict happens when both of their families oppose their relationship.
Meanwhile, Santhosh Balaraj's last movie was the 2017 action gangster film 'Kariya 2'.