Communication Theories

“Communication is a culturally related process in which a communicator transmits through and receives from the communicator feelings, ideas, opinions, thoughts etc by means of arbitrary verbal and non-verbal symbols”. Did that make any sense to you? No! Ok let us understand it this way. Communication is nothing but to convey your message to the desired person through various mediums, for example symbols, visuals, verbal language etc. it is a two way process including the communicator and the communicate. Yes, it all makes sense now, doesn’t it? Today we will come across two main theories of communication. “Magic Bullet Theory” and the “Nav Rasa Theory”

Magic Bullet Theory

• When the media (magic gun) fires a message directly into the heads of the audience it causes reaction in their minds and this is exactly what “Magic Bullet Theory” states.
• This theory is also known as the “Hypodermic Needle Theory”. In the same lines when media (needle) injects the message into their minds it results in changes in crowd’s behavior and psyche. This is called as “Hypodermic Needle Theory”.
• These theories play a crucial role in impacting the minds of people without much hesitation. This helps in directly delivering the message into audience’s minds without any rejection. It’s a direct, straight, strategic and planned message to an individual’s mentality. One of the famous examples of implementation of this theory is the “War of the Worlds” incident. In the 1940’s, it was used in the Nazi Germany to influence masses. USA used it as well and produced films like “It’s happened one night” and “It’s a wonderful life”.

Nav Rasa Theory

• Rasa is a particular kind of aesthetic expression aiming to evoke the minds of the audience.  It is derived from the word “rasah” which means juice, flavor or essence.  Rasa is an inevitable part of communication because without its absence there is lack of transparency of emotion leading to chaotic situations and eventually end of communication. The spectator of this Rasa is rightfully called the “Rasika”.“No meaningful idea is conveyed if the Rasa is not evoked” stated Bharat Muni.  Rasa has a major role to play in cinema as well; it is because of Rasa that Indian cinema stands out amongst other forms of cinema.   Every Rasa portrays a Bhava. Bhava is a feeling or an emotion. Following are some of the Bhawas, Rati(love), Bhaya(fear), Shoka(grief), Krodha(anger) etc.  Rasa that depict some of these Bhawas are as follows, Hasya(humorous), Vira(valorous), Bibhatsa(horror), Karuna(compassion), Sringar(amorous) etc.

Comparison

• Both the theories revolve around the same line that is evoking the minds of audience but the ways are significantly different.  At one point where Magic Bullet Theory forcefully thrushes their views and opinions on the masses the Nav Rasa Theory lets the audience decide their view point through effective display of emotion. Magic bullet theory is in some way influencing the people with the message that we want them to get, in a way dominating the masses. Where else there are no such acts or signs in the Nav Rasa theory.  If we follow the Magic Bullet theory we observe that the audience is very passive and well controlled where as Nav Rasa theory gives the audience a free flow on their imagination and does not restrict them in any way. In Magic Bullet theory public is given no choice it is bounded norms crafted by the media. Hence the audience is labeled as “Sitting Duck”. Media holds an immediate and powerful hold on the masses in the Magic Bullet Theory but in the Nav Rasa theory media is just an middle man between the communicator and the communicate.

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