Bentlee’s trailer launch was more than just an unveiling—it turned into a heartfelt tribute to Santhosh Balraj. Friends and colleagues gathered, sharing stories and remembering the late actor-director and his dream project. Santhosh, who suddenly passed away last August, left a mark with films like Ganapa and Kariya 2, but this event really highlighted how much he meant to the people around him.
Produced by Shwetha Balraj for Cine Enterprises, Bentlee stars Santosh alongside Simran Natekar, Shruthi, Charan Raj, and Raja Balawadi. Actor Yogi, who lent his voice for the film, got emotional talking about his friend. He admitted, “I don’t know if I should be happy or sad today. It’s been a year without Santhosh. It’s not about the films or his success—this crowd shows just how many friends he made just by being himself.”
Yogi talked about Santhosh’s passion for films, how they’d often chat about this project when it had a different name. “I never thought I’d end up dubbing for Bentlee. Now, I just hope it gets to theatres and people show up for it,” he said.
Actor Pramod Shetty shared memories of Santhosh always dreaming big for Kannada cinema. He was always talking about taking it to new heights and making bigger, better movies. “It’s heartbreaking he’s not here to see Bentlee finally happen. We lost more than an actor—we lost someone who pushed everyone forward,” Pramod said.
The music is by Judah Sandy, with Ravi Varma on the background score. Cinematography credits go to KK and Gundlupete Suresh, and editing is by Umesh. The release date’s still under wraps. Everyone’s hoping Bentlee gets the support it deserves, and that Santosh’s dream lives on through the film.
