‘Lawrence of Punjab’ Makers Agree to Change Title After High Court Observations

The makers of the controversial ZEE5 docu-series “Lawrence of Punjab” have agreed to change the title of the show following observations made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which subsequently cleared its release.

A bench headed by Justice Jagmohan Bansal quashed the Centre’s advisory that had earlier restrained the release of the series allegedly based on jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The court directed the makers to remove the words “Lawrence” , “Bishnoi” and “Punjab” from the title as well as from trailers and promotional material.

The petition challenging the advisory had been filed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises after the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting raised objections based on concerns flagged by the Punjab Police.

During the hearing, the High Court viewed the documentary and observed that it did not appear to be glorifying gangster culture or celebrating any criminal figure. The bench reportedly noted that the series relied largely on publicly available material, including archival footage, media reports and commentary.

The Punjab government had opposed the release, arguing that the documentary could negatively influence youth and contribute to the growing normalisation of organised crime in the state. Punjab Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi informed the court that authorities had already removed over 2,600 videos and social media posts allegedly promoting gangster culture.

The Centre’s advisory had stated that the documentary contained dramatised portrayals , real-life footage and narrative elements that could potentially disturb public order and provoke strong reactions.

Lawyers representing Bishnoi also objected to the series, claiming the use of his identity and images could affect ongoing criminal proceedings. However, the High Court observed that there was a distinction between portraying crime and endorsing it, and reportedly remarked that the documentary appeared to critique gun culture rather than glorify it.

Originally scheduled for release on April 27, the series will now be released under a new title, which is yet to be officially announced.