A new crime docu-series set to stream on ZEE5 has been quietly stopped just days before release, after concerns it may disturb public order in Punjab.
Lawrence of Punjabbased on the rise of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was scheduled to release on April 27. But the Union government has advised the platform not to go ahead for now.
According to reports, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting acted after warnings from Punjab Police. They feared the show could “lead to heightened tensions and adverse law and order implications”.
The pause came just a day after Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring approached the High Court.
He argued that the series glorifies gangster culture and could send a wrong message to young people.
In court, government lawyers presented an official communication. It referred to an earlier advisory and cautioned against content that “romanticises organised crime”.
“It is further informed that the documentary has the potential to negatively influence youth by normalising or romanticising organised crime,” the note said.
Read More: ‘Lawrence of Punjab’ faces court test days before release
Soon after, Warring’s lawyer said their concerns had been addressed, and the petition was closed.
The makers had described the show as an exploration of “culture, systems, and visibility”.
The series itself had drawn attention even before release. Its title echoes the Oscar-winning Lawrence of Arabiawhile its story follows Bishnoi’s rise from student politics to a feared criminal figure.
He had earlier made headlines over alleged threats to Bollywood actor Salman Khan.
