Daijiworld Media Network- Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 5: In a tragic development, Kannada film industry’s budding actor Santhosh Balaraj (34) passed away on Tuesday morning, reportedly due to complications arising from jaundice. His untimely demise has left the Sandalwood fraternity and fans in deep shock.

Santhosh, son of well-known film producer Anekal Balaraj, breathed his last at a private hospital in Bengaluru at around 9:45 am. Reports suggest that the actor had been battling jaundice for the past few weeks, and the infection had reportedly spread throughout his body, severely impacting his health.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital after his condition worsened. Despite treatment, he could not recover and succumbed to the illness.

Santhosh's father, Anekal Balaraj, was the producer of the popular Kannada movie ‘Kariya’ starring actor Darshan. Balaraj himself had passed away in a tragic road accident in 2022.

Santhosh, who was unmarried, lived with his mother. He had carved a niche for himself in the Kannada film industry with lead roles in films like ‘Kariya 2’, ‘Kempa’, ‘Ganapa’, ‘Barkley’, and ‘Satya’. With promising performances and growing popularity, he was considered one of the emerging talents in Sandalwood.