We have seen parts of this movie before. The independence of the board of directors, rather the lack of it, has always been questionable not only in India but also elsewhere in the world. With a few exceptions, the board of directors usually comprises the promoter's buddies, who play along to get decisions through regardless of how they may play out eventually for minority shareholders. In the Tata episode, the board of directors voted out chairman Cyrus Mistry quietly, and brought in the principal shareholder as an interim replacement. The official reason for dismissing Mistry is non-performance, and this makes the case really curious.