Punjab Congress Chief Urges PM Modi To Stop Release Of Lawrence Bishnoi's Docuseries On Zee5, Makers Say 'It Is More Than Just A Crime Story'

Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring escalated his opposition to the upcoming docuseries Lawrence of Punjab. On Thursday (April 23), he wrote directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged immediate intervention to halt its release.

Warring writes to PM Modi seeking ban

In his letter, Warring requested the PM to step in and stop the show from being released as he alleged that it promotes criminal glorification. "I request you to kindly issue directions to the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and the Information Technology to ban the release of the web series," his letter read.

"The movie/series aims to glorify someone who has been involved in so many gruesome crimes, including the brutal murder of the most popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. We in Punjab have strong objections to this series for many reasons. One, Punjab is a holy land of Gurus, Rishi and Pirs. You have yourself spent a lot of time in Punjab. You know Punjab's history and culture as much. Should such a holy land with a glorious history and culture be identified with a gangster? That is what the OTT series wants to project," the letter further read.

It added, "Moreover, glorifying crime and the gangster culture can leave a dangerous and disastrous Impact on the impressionable young minds, which might well get drawn towards crime. Instead of discouraging crime and gangster culture, which we all should aspire for, the web series will glorify it."

Earlier, the Congress leader has also announced plans to move court, stating that he will file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the series, which is expected to premiere on ZEE5 on April 27.

‘It glorifies crime,’ says Warring

Warring criticised the project, claiming it undermines the pain of victims affected by gang violence in Punjab. Referring to the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala, he 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 further added, “This is not content, but a slap on every Punjabi,” stressing that many families continue to suffer due to crimes linked to the Bishnoi network.

The docuseries, reportedly inspired in title by Lawrence of Arabia, traces the rise of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who has been in the spotlight for alleged threats against actor Salman Khan linked to the 1990s blackbuck poaching case.

Makers defend the series

Amid the backlash, director Raghav Darr defended the show, stating that the intention was not to glorify crime but to explore its roots.

"Lawrence of Punjab was always envisioned as more than just a crime story. Our intent was to understand the ‘why’ behind the making of such identities: the environment, the influences, and the systems that shape them. At the same time, it was equally important to reflect on what these journeys leave behind. Through this series, we’ve tried to present a narrative that is both informative and deeply human,” he told Bombay Times.