CHANDIGARH: The Union Government has advised OTT platform ZEE5 not to release a documentary or web series titled Lawrence of Punjab, warning that the content could incite violence and disturb public order.
The advisory follows a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. He has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising concerns over the series. Additionally, the Punjab Police has urged the Centre to ban the release, alleging that it glorifies organised crime and criminal elements.
A communication dated April 24, sent to ZEE5 by Kshitij Agrawal, Deputy Director (Digital Media), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, stated, “I am directed to refer to Amarinder Singh Raja Warring versus Union of India and others filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court and to invite attention to the advisory dated October 27, 2025, issued by this ministry. Vide the above advisory, OTT platforms were advised to exercise due caution and discretion before publication/transmission of any film or web series, including biopics and documentaries on gangsters and criminals, which are likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order.”
The communication further noted, “Punjab Police has informed that the content contains dramatised portrayals, real-life footage, and narrative elements which lead to the glorification and amplification of organised crime and criminal elements. It is further informed that the documentary has the potential to negatively influence youth by normalising and romanticising organised crime, undermine ongoing law enforcement efforts against gangsterism, and disturb public order, thereby vitiating the law and order situation in the state.”
It added that, in view of the judicial directions, the Punjab Police had conveyed a reasonable apprehension that the release of the documentary could be prejudicial to public order and had the potential to incite the commission of cognisable offences. It further stated that, in continuation of the advisory issued on October 27, 2025 and the ministry’s letter dated April 23, ZEE5 had been advised not to release the content and to take appropriate action in the matter.
The matter is currently under consideration before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the petitioner has sought an urgent stay on the release of the series. He has argued that it romanticises the life and criminal activities of Lawrence Bishnoi and may negatively impact public sentiment in Punjab.
The move comes amid mounting pressure from political leaders and law enforcement agencies over the proposed release of the series, which is scheduled to premiere on April 27. Punjab Police had earlier urged the Central Government to block the series, alleging that it could glorify organised crime and adversely influence young viewers.
The trailer, unveiled a few days ago, offers a glimpse into a story rooted in culture that explores how criminal identities are shaped. Produced by Riverland Entertainment and directed by Raghav Darr, the series was set to premiere on April 27.
According to an earlier media statement by the makers, “Lawrence of Punjab traces the journey of a criminal identity through the lens of culture, systems, and visibility. From student politics and music to ideology and media amplification, the series pieces together how aspiration, power, and perception intersect to shape a new-age digital syndicate. With Lawrence Bishnoi as a key case study within this ecosystem, the narrative expands beyond the individual to examine the larger cultural and social context, focusing on consequences.”