High Court clears Lawrence of Punjab for release as makers agree to change title

Lawrence of Punjab (Pic/X)

The makers of the upcoming series Lawrence of Punjab, which is reportedly based on jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, have agreed to change the title after the Punjab and Haryana High Court raised concerns about the words 'Lawrence' and 'Punjab' in the name. During a hearing on the controversy surrounding the project, the makers informed the court that they are willing to change the name, after which the film was cleared for release.

Lawrence of Punjab makers to change the title

During the proceedings, Zee Entertainment informed the court that the creative team would soon decide on a new title and sought time to finalise a new name. The company also assured the bench that the revised title would not include the name 'Lawrence Bishnoi.'

The High Court stated that it had viewed the film and found "nothing objectionable" in the content apart from the title itself. The court noted that the project appeared to rely largely on newspaper reports and material that is publicly available. It further mentioned that if the name "Lawrence Bishnoi" was removed from the title, it would have no objection to the release.

However, Punjab's Advocate General argued that the state objected not just to the title but also to the series, urging the court to direct the makers to remove both "Punjab" as well as all references to Bishnoi from the series.

Meanwhile, Bishnoi's counsel also sought the removal of the gangster's name and photographs from the project. During the hearing, the High Court also questioned the lawyer if any permissions had been obtained when Bishnoi had previously given media interviews.

Lawrence of Bishnoi cleared for release

On Monday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court heard a plea filed by Zee Entertainment against the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's advisory, in which they opposed the release of the documentary. During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel Amit Jhanji told the court that neither "Lawrence Bishnoi" nor "Punjab" would remain part of the title of the docu-series.

This will clear the final hurdle for the show's release. The High Court also watched the series before delivering its decision. According to the ruling, the court noted that the documentary did not appear to glorify any individual.

The docu-series, which was earlier titled Lawrence of Punjab, was set to premiere on ZEE5 on April 27. However, it landed in controversy just days before release.