Lawrence of Punjab: Centre halts OTT release of gangster docuseries after row

The controversial docuseries Lawrence of Punjab will not be released on OTT platform ZEE5 after the Centre intervened and directed the platform to stop its streaming, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was told.

During the hearing, the Centre informed the bench that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had already issued instructions to ZEE5 not to telecast the series. Taking note of the submission, the high court disposed of the petition filed by Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who had announced that he plans to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on the series.

Court told Centre has already acted

The series had triggered a political row in Punjab, with major parties, including the BJP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, demanding a ban on the ground that it could glorify gangster culture.

Punjab Police had also written to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, urging it to intervene and stop the release. Acting on these concerns, the Centre issued directions to the OTT platform.

Lawrence of Punjab is reportedly based on jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his criminal network. Its proposed release had raised concerns amid what was described as a sensitive law-and-order environment in the state.

Warring had said he would approach court

Before the hearing, Warring had said he would approach the court against the docuseries, alleging that it glorified crime and undermined the pain of victims of violence in Punjab. In a statement, he said he planned to file a public interest litigation seeking a ban on the show, which was expected to premiere on Zee5 on April 27.

Calling the project deeply insensitive, Warring had said, “I lost my friend Sidhu Moosewala to Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang. His death was a loss for every Punjabi and millions of his fans worldwide.”

He had argued that the series risked glorifying a criminal figure while ignoring the human cost of gang violence. “This is not content, but a slap on every Punjabi,” he said, adding that many families across the state continued to suffer due to crimes linked to the Bishnoi network.

“Not just Sidhu, countless families are still grieving. Punjab’s identity lies in its heroes like Bhagat Singh, its soldiers, and its farmers—not gangsters. Never a gangster,” Warring had said in a statement to media, while reiterating that he would pursue legal action to stop the show’s release. “Enough is enough,” he added.

Political controversy over the series

The title of the docuseries appears to be a play on Lawrence of Arabia. It reportedly traces the rise of Bishnoi, who made national headlines after being linked to threats against Bollywood actor Salman Khan over the 1998 blackbuck poaching case.

With the Centre telling the high court that instructions had already been issued to ZEE5 not to telecast the series, the court disposed of Warring’s plea, bringing the immediate legal challenge over its release to a close.

Directed by Raaghav Dhar, Lawrence of Punjab, was set to premiere on ZEE5 on April 27.