This well-researched biography is both a tribute to a great artist, and a deep inquiry into what made his music great. Going well beyond merely listing his greatest songs, it explores hitherto unknown stories about the creation of each 'Mera sundar sapna beet gaya' ( Do Bhai , 1948); 'Thandi hawaein' ( Naujawan , 1951); 'Yeh raat yeh chandni' ( Jaal , 1952); 'Babu samjho ishaare' ( Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi , 1958); 'Meet na mila re mann ka' ( Abhiman , 1973), and more.

The book is packed with insights into SD's life, work and his astute understanding of Hindi cinema. Despite the fact that he was an outsider who spoke little Hindi or Urdu, SD was the man who introduced Sahir Ludhianvi to the world, and the one who gave Kishore Kumar's musical brilliance its due. His readiness to adapt to modern sounds and techniques, his unwavering faith in Lata Mangeshkar's virtuosity, his closeness to Dev Anand that was seen as nepotism, charges of plagiarism- S.D. The Prince-Musician provides unmatched insight into both the genius of one of India's most significant composers and a crucial aspect of its glorious cinematic history.