Goal postponed following John-Bips break

According to Goal director Vivek Agnihotri, the postponing of the film has nothing to do with the whole John-Bips affair. "The shooting portions of Goal were over in May end in London and we were in fact on schedule. But Goal is a big film and its post production will be taking a little more time than expected. There is also a big promotional campaign being planned out for it as the film is based on football. So all this takes a little time."
About the controversy surrounding John-Bipasha, Agnihotri says, "First of all the whole kiss thing has been blown out of proportion. I have worked with them and they are very good friends of mine. The television media should have not stooped to such a low in exploiting their personal lives by airing the same thing whole day. I am in touch with both of them and they appear least perturbed about the whole thing."

However, an industry insider tells us, "A lot has been happening in the past few weeks between John and Bipasha. First news was out that they have broken off. Then came the media clarifications from John proclaiming that they are still a couple and he is waiting for her to come to Pondicherry where he is busy shooting for Aasheyein. But that didn't happen and Bipasha did not even offer her comments then. She went to host the new Seven Wonders of the World in Lisbon, Portugal last weekend and ended up being all over the world media over her kissing row with Manchester United footballer Christiano Ronaldo. On coming back she declared her single status. All of this confirmed their break up. Goal is an important film for John who has been lying low at the box office with a series of flops in a row. Indian audiences have often rejected films of real life couples - Vivek Oberoi – Aishwarya Rai (Kyun Ho Gaya Naa?), Abhishek – Aish (Umrao Jaan), Shahid – Kareena (Fida) have all tanked badly at the box office. Even the John-Bipasha starrer Madhoshi, which released at the peak of their affair, was a total washout. The makers of Goal don't want to take a risk by releasing Goal with the John-Bipasha off screen stories fresh in the audience minds. They are taking a safer route by pushing it ahead to December."