Santhosh Balaraj (31 March 1990 – 5 August 2025) was an Indian actor who predominantly worked on Kannada-language films. The son of producer Anekal Balaraj, Santhosh began his career in the lead role in Kempa. He gained popularity for his performance in the 2015 action thriller Ganapa.
Career In 2009, he played the lead role in his debut film Kempa, produced by his father Anekal Balaraj. Later films include a family drama titled Olavina Ole in 2012 and action film Janma in 2013. While the former released to mixed reviews, the latter released to positive reviews. In Ganapa, he played an innocent man forced into lawlessness. A critic wrote that "Santhosh, especially, has grown as a performer". His last film, Kariya 2, an action romantic thriller set in the backdrop of a criminal underworld was released in October 2017. The film opened to mixed to positive reviews, and his role as Kariya was well received.
Personal life He was receiving treatment for jaundice when he fell into a coma at Sagar Apollo Hospital, Bengaluru. His last film Sathyam remains unreleased.https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2025/Aug/05/kannada-actor-santhosh-balaraj-passes-away-at-38
Filmography Year Film Role Notes 2009 Kempa Kempa credited as Santhosh 2012 Olavina Ole Narasimha 2013 Janma Kanteerava 2015 Ganapa Ganapa 2017 Kariya 2 Kariya
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