करना था

had to do

→ करना
phrase Rare #9,337
had to do With a subject, this often expresses a past obligation or something someone was supposed to do. The form changes to करना थी or करना थे to agree with the subject or object as required.
HI: मुझे आज बहुत काम करना था।
EN: I had a lot of work to do today.

अगर वही करना था तो, पहले दिन ही हमें टिकट्स दे देती न।

If you were going to do that anyway, you could’ve given us the tickets on the very first day, couldn’t you?

— Jaane Jaan (2023)

यही करना था तो मुझे कह दिया होता।

If that's what you wanted me to do, you should have told me.

— Khufiya (2023)

और मुझे न, अपना साम्राज्य खड़ा करना था।

And I had to build my own empire, you know.

— Monica, O My Darling (2022)