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33-year-old Bishnoi is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail, and is facing multiple criminal cases. He is one of the main accused in the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala.
The documentary series, Lawrence of Punjab, is scheduled for an April 27 premiere on OTT platform ZEE5.(HT_PRINT)The I&B ministry on Friday advised streaming service ZEE5 not to release Lawrence of Punjab, a docu-series on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, after the Punjab Police said it anticipated risk to public order.
33-year-old Bishnoi is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail, and is facing multiple criminal cases. He is one of the main accused in the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala.
The advisory came a day after Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking a ban on the release of the web series, claiming it would glorify gangster culture.
In response to Warring’s plea, the Centre placed a copy of the communication from the I&B ministry, advising ZEE5 not to release the docu-series. With that, his petition was disposed of.
Lawrence of Punjab was to be released on ZEE5 on April 27.
Why is it contentious?
Directed by Raghav Darr and produced by Raghav Khanna under Riverland Entertainment, this non-fictional series utilizes archival footage and real-life interviews with law enforcement and legal experts, rather than a traditional cast
The makers of the web series said that it "traces the journey of a criminal identity through the lens of culture, systems and visibility." It treats Bishnoi as a case study in the ecosystem of student politics, music, ideology and media amplification.
However, amid mounting pressure from both political leaders and law enforcement agencies, the Centre advised not airing the biopic. The I&B communication said that OTT platforms were advised to exercise caution before publication of any film or web series, including biopics and documentaries on gangsters and criminals, as they are likely to incite violence or disturb public order.
"It is further informed that the documentary has the potential to negatively influence youth by normalising or romanticising organised crime; undermine ongoing law enforcement efforts against gangsterism; and disturb public order, thereby vitiating the law and order situation in the State,” the communication read.
ZEE5 to challenge order
Meanwhile, ZEE5 on Friday told the Delhi High Court that it would challenge the Centre’s advisory and take legal recourse against it.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Bishnoi seeking to stop the documentary, claiming it affects his rights, The Tribune reported. However, with his counsel absent at the time of hearing, Justice Kaurav adjourned the matter to April 27.
With inputs from PTI
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