Santhosh Balaraj

Some Lesser Known Facts About Santhosh Balaraj

• Santhosh Balaraj was an Indian actor who predominantly worked on Kannada films.

• He was born and grew up in Bangalore, India.

• Santhosh Balaraj’s father, Anekal Balaraj, was also a renowned Kannada film actor and producer.

• In 2009, Balaraj made his debut with a lead role in the film Kempa. The film was produced by his father.

• In 2015, Santhosh Balaraj gained recognition with the film Ganapa, where he portrayed the role of a gritty gangster.

• His last film was Kariya 2, produced by his father. The film got mixed to positive reviews; however, his role as Kariya received recognition and praise worldwide.

• Due to its popularity, Kariya 2 was dubbed in Hindi and released under the title Ghajinikanth (2018). The film is well-known for its engaging stunt scenes that entertained the audience.

• In 2022, his father died in a tragic road accident.

• After the death of his father, he was living in Bangalore with his mother. Balaraj was still unmarried.

• Balaraj had been battling with the jaundice for several weeks. In August 2025, Balaraj was admitted to Sagar Apollo Hospital in Bangalore. Despite receiving medical treatment, his condition worsened, ultimately leading to his sudden death on 5 August 2025. He was survived by his mother and a sister.

• Once in an interview, Santhosh mentioned that he admired veteran Kannada actors like Darshan and Puneeth Rajkumar for their acting skills.

• Being the son of a film producer, he worked his way up gradually, not relying solely on his father’s connections.

• Santosh was recognized for his strong on-screen presence and ability to portray intense, action-driven characters with depth.

• He was a very soft-spoken and respectful person. He enjoyed traveling with his friends.

  

• Santhosh was an avid dog lover. He owned a dog named Rambo.

  

• He enjoyed reading scripts late at night.

• Balaraj loved to stay out of the limelight and rarely gave interviews.