Lawrence Of Punjab: Amid Demand For Ban, Lawrence Bishnoi's Cousin Asks 'What Do You Want To Prove?'

Lawrence

of Punjab, an upcoming Hindi ZEE5 docuseries, has landed in legal trouble. Ahead of its release, the Punjab police appealed for a ban by formally addressing the issue with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The state police sent a letter to Special Director General of Police (Cyber Crime), V. Neeraja, raising concerns over the content of the docuseries. As the title suggests, it is based on Lawrence Bishnoi, a jailed criminal. The Punjab police objected to Lawrence of Punjab, claiming it ‘glorifies’ organised crime. Amid this, Lawrence’s cousin, Ramesh Bishnoi, sought a ban on the series, claiming the family never permitted the makers.

Lawrence Bishnoi's cousin seeks ban on Lawrence Of Punjab

In an interview with ANI, Ramesh said the Bishnoi family strongly objects to the docuseries said to be inspired by Lawrence. Calling Punjab the ‘land of gurus and warriors’, he asked director Raghav Darr who gave him the permission to use Lawrence’s name and associate him with the upcoming project. “Na parivar se permission hai, na sarkar se permission hai. Aise banake voh kya saabit karna chahte hai? (Neither did the family permit not the government. What do you want to prove by making such docuseries?),” Ramesh questioned. He further added that the case is still under trial and when the family was approached with the project on Lawrence, they clearly refused to grant permission. “Court mein joh nirnay aayega, uske baad baat karenge (After the court announces its verdict, we shall talk),” Bishnoi said before adding, “Abhi court mein case chal raha hai aur gangster dikha rahe hai. Parivaar ko objection hai ispe (Court cases are still under trial, and he is being shown as a gangster. The family objects to this).”

Bishnoi also told the news agency that the Punjab police and leaders want a ban on Lawrence of Punjab. He shared, “Mujhe media se pata chala hai ki High Court tak jaane ki tayyari hai, toh main toh maang kar raha hu ki High Court and Supreme Court se ki turant ban lag jaye (I learnt through the media that High Court might get involved in this. I want the High Court and Supreme Court to ban it immediately).” He concluded by saying it is unfortunate that such projects highlight Punjab in a negative light.

What is Lawrence Of Punjab?

As per the official synopsis, 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. The docuseries is scheduled to release on Hindi ZEE5 on April 27.